Shadows of the Light

Page 13

It was a day like any other when Sakiya finally re-entered the world. An old maid, his own caretaker in fact, risked her master's displeasure by going up to him while he was in the garden as he always was in the morning and croaked softly to him. "I wasn't supposed to tell you this, young master, but Master Hotoya actually sent a message telling you that he wanted your attendance at a sparring match this pastnoon."

Sakiya smiled but kept his face lowered. "Thank you for telling me this. I know what it must have taken for you to tell me this."

She snorted. "I haven't raised you for the last 16 years for naught, young master. Take care of yourself on the way there."

Sakiya's mood lightened a little as he ate his noon meal and headed for the Hotoya residence. He still drew stares from the other noble youths and Enlightened but he pressed forward. Eventually, he reached his destination and rang the bell. A maid opened the door placidly.....that was, until she saw who he was about to admit in. She literally jumped back in fright and slammed the door in Sakiya's face. He cursed. Did Vexel call him all this way just to be humiliated like this? Then he heard an angry voice on the other side. It was too muffled to make out what was said but after it died down, the door swung open again to reveal Vexel Hotoya who, besides the fairer skin due to all his time cooped indoors, remain unchanged. He gripped Sakiya's shoulder and grinned widely. "Glad you could make it. I invited Fornin too."

"I see your serving staff has been briefed on how to react to my presence."

Anger flashed across Vexel's face. "Tch," he spat, "My mother is scared that you will 'defile' me," he droned, "What a lot of lionsteed dung. Come in, come in! Please excuse all the irritating wardings. My father asked me to set them up as under the guise of training, but when I realised that I was actually stopping you from entering rooms, well," he looked at Sakiya and said quite plainly, "I told him to get the Abyss away. So," he said as they passed by the entrance way of a door which had a faint blue and red shimmer, "I've been spending two days trying to unravel them. Father can't stop me, because this is training too!" He grinned wickedly at Sakiya as he led him to the dining hall.

Sakiya was grateful beyond words that Vexel did not seem to care what he had become. Vexel ordered a servant to bring drinks. They were served by separately, with the serving-girl quickly scurrying away when Sakiya lifted the glass from the tray. He ignored it and lifted the glass to his lips when Vexel hissed, "Stop!"

Sakiya stopped. Vexel motioned to him. "Switch your drink with mine. Just do it. Now." Sakiya shrugged and switched glasses. Vexel took it and swirled the juice around and sniffed it. Smelling nothing, he sipped and Sakiya heard him gargle. He paused, then swallowed. His next movements were a blur as he grabbed two small pouches from his pockets and crushed a few leaves together. There was a thick, musky scent in the room as he rubbed his palms together and powder fell into his drink. He swirled it quickly and drank the rest in one gulp. He did all of this within a minute. Sakiya closed his gaping mouth. "What did you just do?"

Vexel grimaced. "I neutralised the drug in your drink. It would have rendered you unconscious."

"Wow. Your family's really out to get me. Maybe coming here was a bad idea."

"No, Sakiya. Let the Light take those superstitious group of.... Anyway, the main thing is that I know you, alright? You'll always be a friend to me. We've been friends too long to let this separate us."

Sakiya gave him a heartfelt smile. "Thanks Vexel."

A servant walked in. "Master Fornin has arrived."

"Send him in."

Fornin walked easily into the room but Sakiya detected a faint shift in his demeanor when his eyes fell on him. "Hey, Vexel. Sakiya." Sakiya stifled his reaction. Sakiya? He only had been that formal for the first few days that Sakiya had known him. "How's Brightspear training, Vexel?"

"I was about to ask that as well." Sakiya said, keeping his eye on Fornin.

As he expected, Fornin flinched slightly at the statement. Vexel sighed. "Its not easy, but I get by," he nudged Sakiya with a knowing smile, "Thanks to Lucienne's contacts. They're no joke; some of them hate nobles."

"Did some of them refuse to teach you?" Sakiya asked, genuinely curious.

Surprisingly, Fornin spoke up. "Some of them did. I thought you and Vexel knew each other's business more than me."

Sakiya turned to him belligerently. "If you haven't noticed, Fornin, I haven't been exactly welcome to be here."

Fornin shrugged. "It was just a joke," he said lamely.

Vexel looked at Fornin with an expression of annoyance but didn't press further. "Anyway, some of them left but most of them stayed. You know me, Sakiya," he added meaningfully, "When I decide on something, I do all I can to get it."

Sakiya grinned fiercely. "And you won't give up until your dying breath." He punched Vexel lightly on the shoulder.

Vexel returned the grin with a similar one. "Alright, time to start practicing."

They went out to the field in the centre of the house, which was shaped like a square, and picked up wooden practice swords along the way. Fornin and Vexel took theirs from the servants' offered hands while Sakiya went to the stack and took one by himself. He noticed as he walked away that the rest were swiftly taken away. No doubt to be burnt, he thought. The three stood in a triangle and faced each other. Sakiya noticed various wooden weapons on the floor scattered around, such as a dagger, a scythe, a broadsword, an axe and so on. He realised what was happening. Vexel was practicing with as many weapons as possible. Sakiya got into ready stance. He and Fornin rushed at Vexel. He caught both their blades on the flat of his, with his left supporting the end. Sakiya flicked his sword at Fornin and it clashed onto Fornin's raised parry. Vexel aimed an overhead cut at Sakiya as Fornin curved his from the side. Sakiya calmly caught both on his sword; Fornin's near the end and Vexel's at his hilt. Vexel's initial astonished expression turned to a fierce competitiveness, and he took a step back and began a flurry of blows. Fornin took advantage of Vexel's focus to jerk a few quick jabs which Vexel blocked. They were no longer friends on this fields, only three fighters who cared only about themselves. After blocking a particularly vicious thrust from Fornin, Vexel rolled and grabbed the wooden mace. The air about him changed as he switched from wide and fast cuts to overhead smashes. There was no longer any sense of defense in his new style as he flowed from hit to hit without bothering to block. Sakiya had to adapt quickly to this new development and he was caught off guard a number of times. Eventually, he adapted and Vexel found himself at a disadvantage as he couldn't switch his targets smoothly. He dropped the mace as he used his foot to kick the axe into his hands.

So the battle went on with Fornin and Sakiya with their swords, and Vexel with his various weapons. Eventually, they reached the point where Vexel took his perfect wooden replica of his namesake Path: the Brightspear. The moment he picked it up, Sakiya knew he was outclassed. Vexel was glorious in battle, the straight bladed war spear tearing apart every guard and attack either Fornin or he attempted. A two-handed thrust got through Sakiya's guard and took him hard in the right shoulder and he dropped his sword in pain. A little later, he heard a similar clatter of wood upon rock as Vexel disarmed Fornin. He looked up to see Vexel standing over him, with one hand on his spear and another hand open to help. Sakiya too it and was lifted up. He grinned and went to help Fornin. Fornin stood up and smiled defeatedly at Vexel. Together, they went back into the manor.