Trey was breathing heavily as he gripped the strap beneath his chin. Sweat flew from his curly brown hair when he yanked off his training helmet.
“Had enough?” Jeffers called out from several paces away, a teasing grin on his face. “It’s only been two hours.”
Trey groaned, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. “I just need a quick water break,” he replied, “then I’ll be ready to go again.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time,” Jeffers said as he walked up to the eighteen-year-old. “Consider my assessment of you complete.”
“Did I pass?” Trey asked.
Jeffers gave him a nod. “You did very well. You mentioned that you’ve only been training for a couple years? I can tell. Some of your forms are a little raw and unrefined, but overall, I’m genuinely impressed with your potential.”
Trey felt a surge of relief wash over him, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. “Really? I mean, I know I still have a lot to learn, but I appreciate that.” A hint of pride even crept into his voice.
Jeffers crossed his arms, studying Trey with a mix of seriousness and encouragement. “Yeah, you’ll do just fine as a null guardian. I aim to be tough but fair. As long as you put in your best effort, you and I will get along.”
Trey's mind raced with numerous thoughts. “What do I need to work on the most?” he asked.
“Focus on your footwork and precision,” Jeffers instructed, gesturing thoughtfully. “You’ve got the strength, but if you don’t have control, it can lead to mistakes,” “We’ll break it down in our next session. Let’s get you some water and maybe a chance to wash up. The last new guardian was supposed to be here—” Jeffers stopped short, his eyes drawn towards the woman walking towards them both. “... Wow!”
She was tall and statuesque, her athletic body exuding both strength and beauty. Her tanned skin glowed in the sunlight, and her long, flowing blonde hair swayed gently in the wind as she moved. Her bright blue eyes sparkled with enthusiasm, and a friendly smile lit up her face.
“Hey!” she called out. “I’m looking for a Jeffers?”
Jeffers groaned, his eyes fixed on the sexy blonde. “There are times when I really regret being a superior officer.” A mortified expression immediately crossed his face as he looked over at Trey. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”
Trey chuckled and winked back at the guardian leader. “Don’t worry, I’m really good at keeping secrets.”
The experienced soldier looked a little bit relieved as he turned back to the blonde. “Over here!” he shouted. “I’m Jeffers.”
The blonde spotted them and strode over to the boundary of the training field. Jeffers took a few steps and then turned back to Trey. “Why don’t you get washed up and wait for us at the entrance to the keep? I’ll check her into her room and then we’ll meet up there.”
“Sounds good,” Trey said. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
***
“Trey, meet Nora. Nora, this is Trey,” Jeffers said, briskly navigating the introductions. “Let’s start with a tour of Guardian’s Keep and then we will talk about the program.”
The head guardian led them through the gateway and they stepped into an expansive atrium that took their breath away. The space was vast, with high, vaulted ceilings supported by sturdy stone arches that seemed to stretch toward the sky. The stone walls were aged but beautifully maintained, lending no question to their structural integrity. Decorative suits of armor lined the walls and colorful banners hung from the ceiling.
“The keep is actually the oldest building on campus,” Jeffers said, “predating the academy itself.” He smiled slightly, appreciating the slight echo the space lent his voice. “The Battle of Greshelm in the Cliff Mage Era was fought from these very walls.” He let the historical note hang in the air, hoping both his new charges knew enough to be impressed.
Trey glanced out the wide windows, his eyes drawn to the two courtyards visible beyond the atrium. “There’s the Green Courtyard to the right and the Red Courtyard to the left,” Jeffers said. Each one blossomed with life. The Green Courtyard was a lush sanctuary, filled with flowering shrubs and leafy trees. In stark contrast, the Red Courtyard boasted a dramatic palette informed by fire. Crimson and orange flowers blossomed among swaths of tall red grass that swayed gracefully in whatever wind flowed into the courtyard. Shadowy-barked trees stood sentinel, each adorned with pointy scarlet leaves that drooped slightly.
Jeffers pointed to a hallway that was adjacent to the Red Courtyard. “Down that corridor is weapons storage.” He indicated the opposite direction. “We store food that way. Ironically, we have to keep the ale more secure than the weapons.” An amused smirk played on his lips as he led them deeper into the keep.
Reaching the far end of the atrium, they approached a pair of heavy, metal-reinforced doors, their surfaces clad in intricate engravings of mythical beasts and ancient runes. Jeffers pushed them open with a creak that resonated through the air. Needlessly, he gave context to the scene. “In here is the forge, where onyx steel and celestial steel are crafted.”
The room was a melting pot of heat and rhythmic clanging. The air was thick with the scent of charred metal and smoke, which made Trey cough slightly, but that didn’t stop him from scanning the area in wonder. Various metalworking instruments were strewn about, with a blackened stone hearth dominating the center of the large space. Apprentices in leather aprons were deeply focused, their faces illuminated by the orange glow of the forge, each one absorbed in the craft of shaping metal into weapons and tools.
“Here, you will often see a class of artificers practicing their skills,” Jeffers explained, “though right now it’s only Mastersmith Jorgen and a few of his apprentices.”
Mastersmith Jorgen, who was bent over an anvil with intense concentration, glanced up at them briefly before returning to his project with a brow furrowed in determination. The elder blacksmith was a formidable figure, his muscular arms glistening with sweat as he struck a glowing piece of metal with unyielding precision. Each swing of his hammer sent a vibrant shower of sparks cascading into the air.
“Let’s continue,” Jeffers said, turning away from the sweltering heat of the forge and leading them back into the atrium. Near the entrance, they climbed a narrow staircase to a landing that split off in two directions, with another set of stairs ascending even higher.
“This hallway almost wraps entirely around the inner perimeter of the Keep,” Jeffers explained as they paused at the top of the landing. “It doesn’t connect above the forge, which is on the back wall.” He gestured down the length of the corridor. “The squires’ quarters are that way, while the other direction leads to the initiates’ quarters. Nora, hopefully you remember where your room is?”
Nora smirked. “I was just there. It would be hard to forget that quickly.”
Jeffers chuckled. “Just wait until you meet Jakob.” Then he gestured in the direction of the initiates’ quarters. “There’s a large storage room down that way. We’ll need to clean it out, but I think it can be transformed into a living space for you, Trey. I want to avoid angering Marv—”
“I’m sure it will work out,” Trey interjected, cutting off the guardian trainer.
Nora looked at Trey with a sparkle in her eyes. “I’m sorry I took the last room. I hope you won’t hold it against me.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Trey replied. “It sounds like I’m getting some extra closet space. I hope you don’t get too jealous.”
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Nora giggled. “Maybe I’ll have to trade you some of my bedroom space for some of your closet space.”
“Let’s continue upward,” Jeffers said, ignoring the pair’s blatant flirting.
They climbed another set of stairs to another landing that looked very similar to the previous one. “Down that way are the staff quarters,” Jeffers said. “Karl, Jorgen, and Frye all stay down there. I got lucky and snagged a faculty suite over in the citadel. Word of advice: I would avoid that corridor altogether.”
Jeffers turned, glancing in the opposite direction. “Down there, we have an archive room, and a strategy room, which we generally use for meetings. We’ll return there for the rest of your orientation after we finish the tour.” With that, he climbed another set of stairs that led to an open-air landing on the parapets.
Jeffers took in a deep breath upon reaching the top, taking in the elevated view of the campus. “There’s not much use for the space up here, but I do like to come up here. Obviously, there's a wall around the academy now, and beyond that, there are walls around the city of Greshelm, so I think it is safe to say that the keep’s days of fighting are long over. You can check out the watchtower some other time. There’s quite a few stairs to climb, so sometimes we like to use it for physical training.”
Scanning the landscape one last time, he turned and began descending the stairs. "Now, let's get settled into the strategy room."
As they reached the bottom, Jeffers led the way through the hallway, their footsteps echoing against the stone walls. They eventually arrived at the strategy room, a spacious chamber with a long table made from dark, sturdy wood. Its surface was marked with faint scratches from years of use. Surrounding the table were several cushioned seats, each upholstered in rich fabric.
Slits had been carved into the exterior wall; they served well enough as windows, but Trey imagined that in days gone by, they had served as vantage points for launching defensive magic and arrows at besieging armies. On the opposite wall, enchanted sconces flickered, suggesting a warmer and more intimate atmosphere even during daytime hours.
Jeffers gestured for them to take a seat. “Any questions from the tour?”
Trey found a chair and pulled it out, only for Nora to leap in front of him and sit down. She turned her head and looked at Trey with a glint of mischief in her blue eyes.
“First you steal my room,” Trey teased, “and then you steal my chair.”
“Your chair?” Nora feigned exasperation. “And here I thought you were being gentlemanly.”
“Our training might involve us crossing blades and wrestling in the mud,” Trey responded with a playful smirk. “Not sure I want to fraternize with the enemy just yet.”
Nora’s smile widened, and she placed her hand on Trey’s forearm. “I prefer to get to know the competition. That way, I know how to take you down… or I can figure out how to get on your good side.”
Jeffers cleared his throat. “Perhaps you two would benefit from running some laps together?”
Trey looked up from the entrancing blonde beauty who had poached his seat. He hurried over to the other side of the table and selected a second chair. “Sorry, Jeffers.”
“I’m going to give you two the short version of what everyone else got yesterday,” Jeffers began. “You will train to become null guardians. Guardians are elite fighters who defend mages and sorcerers from all sorts of threats, and, in rare cases, are called upon to hunt a mage. The program lasts three years. If you make it through the first year, you will have attained the rank of squire. Complete the next two years, you will be promoted to knight. Upon graduation, many kingdoms and city-states will seek out your services. Renowned mages may also court you for their personal security details. In times of war… Well, let’s avoid that for now.”
“How come we have to be eighteen while the magic users can enroll at seventeen?” Nora asked.
“Good question,” Jeffers said. “The headmaster recently made a policy change that required null guardians to be adults due to the nature of our work. Speaking of which, null guardians are assigned missions very early on in their training – usually two or three in their first year. Escort missions are the most common, but there are also investigations and bounties. I won’t assign you any for a few weeks to let you get your feet set. The magic students do go out on their own missions eventually, but only once they reach acolyte. When they do, they occasionally request our assistance.”
“What is an acolyte?” asked Trey.
“Similar to our squire-to-knight progression,” the guardian trainer explained, “the magic users have their own milestones. If they successfully complete two years, they become acolytes. If they make it through four, they become masters.”
“What do you call us until we become squires?” Nora asked curiously.
“Initiates is the official term,” Jeffers replied, “but we might also call you grunts, recruits, or several other names that may not be as flattering. Should we move on to your daily schedule?”
Both the initiates nodded.
“In the first semester,” Jeffers continued, “you’ll have six classes – but don’t call physical training a ‘class’ in front of Frye if you want to survive. He’s got you in the early morning. After that, you'll alternate between weapons training with Karl and martial arts training with me, depending on the day. Post-lunch, you’ll dive into the introductory magic courses, shifting between Intro to Magic and Magic History. Nora, Trey can show you where that class is located.”
“We have to learn magic history?” Nora asked with a scrunched face.
“Absolutely,” Jeffers replied, unable to suppress his amusement. “It’s important to understand what minor events have set the magical world on fire. You wouldn’t have wanted to end up on the wrong side of the Burning Covenant, would you?”
“No, sir,” Nora responded solemnly.
Jeffers nodded, satisfied his point had been made. “Although we may not possess magical powers ourselves, it's crucial for null guardians to grasp the fundamental principles behind how magic operates. That’s why you will also participate in what we refer to as a ‘roaming magical elective.’ You can choose from a variety of magic classes offered on campus, as long as they don't conflict with your regular schedule. Attendance is mandatory for at least three classes a week, but you’re welcome to join more if you wish. There’s a catalog of courses in the wooden office outside the keep.”
Jeffers turned to Trey with a smirk. “I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Trey, but I think all the fire magic classes interfere with your guardian schedule.”
“I won’t hold it against you, Jeffers,” Trey said playfully. “Love always finds a way.”
“Would Trey’s interest in fire magic have anything to do with the new teacher?” Nora asked coyly.
Trey feigned ignorance. “What? Is there a new fire magic teacher?”
“How are you familiar with the new fire magic teacher?” Jeffers asked, turning the tables on Nora.
Her blues eyes locked onto Trey’s. “Like I said earlier, I like to know the competition.”
Jeffers stifled a sigh and pressed forward. “In addition to your classes, I aim to schedule one-on-one time with each first-year null guardian once a week. I know it will be harder to maintain this routine once missions begin, but I’ll do my utmost to make it work. Any other questions?”
“What do we do with our free time?” Trey asked.
Nora chortled. “What makes you think you’re going to have free time?”
“Are you volunteering to keep me occupied?” Trey countered.
“If you think you can keep me entertained,” she replied without missing a beat. “What would we do?”
“I have some ideas,” Trey responded, “but they wouldn’t be appropriate to mention in front of Jeffers here.”
Jeffers sighed. “It’s obvious that there’s some pent-up energy here that needs to be released, and I suppose it falls to me to at least try to redirect it. Let’s make our way to the top of the walls.”
The trio returned to the top of the keep, once again out in the open air. “Nora, you’ll start near the watchtower,” Jeffers instructed. “Trey, you’ll head over to the far corner. I’ll signal you to start, and you’ll begin chasing each other in the clockwise direction. If one of you catches the other, they are finished. The loser has to do ten more laps.”
At the conclusion of Jeffers’ instructions, Trey jogged along the tops of the walls to his designated starting point. The null guardian trainer waved broadly – as good a signal as any. Trey sprang into action, intent on catching the blonde goddess on the polar side of the parapets. As Jeffers vanished down the stairs, the two young guardians found themselves locked in an opposing race of speed and endurance.
***
Trey entered the suite tired from a long day, but with a smile plastered on his face. He was returning from the cafeteria, well-fed after quite a lot of running atop the Guardian’s Keep.
“I met a girl,” he announced to the old man, who was sitting on the couch, reviewing a class roster.
“Do we really need to have this conversation?” Marvin replied, his tone a mix of exasperation and pleading.
“We’re actually quite similar,” Trey continued, leaning against the doorframe like a giddy schoolboy.
“No, I will not leave my suite so you can bring her back here to ‘get to know her’ better,” the dark mage insisted, crossing his arms defiantly.
“She’s also a mage pretending to be a null guardian,” the eighteen-year-old added dreamily, as if his mind was drifting.
“Glad you two hit it off— wait, what?!” Marvin jolted upright, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
Trey simply nodded.
Marvin threw his hands up in the air in frustration. “Stop messing around and tell me what’s really going on. Why is she here?”
Trey let the grin widen, his playful demeanor intensifying. “Because she wants to kill a teacher.”
“WHAT?!” Marvin shouted, his face going pale as he stared at the young man in alarm. “Who?!”
With a mischievous glint in his eye, Trey leaned in closer. “You.”