The Awakening

Chapter 9

It had only taken a few minutes for Kiel to walk back to the hut with Lycel, though he couldn't help but feel a prickle between his shoulder blades the whole way there. Kiel had glanced back at Lycel enough times that his neck was starting to hurt. Lycel was short and thin, with small hands and feet. His auburn hair hung over his angled face in messy tangles, deeply contrasting his sky-blue eyes. Lycel had his thin light eyebrows wrinkled in a furrow that looked like it came naturally, his lips pursed as he chewed on the inside of them. The nose on his face was small and sharp. Every aspect of Lycel that Kiel could see was compact and efficient, it was as if he were designed to be agile and hard to see.

"We're here," Kiel said. Stratar was sitting in a chair against the hut only a few yards away, drinking his afternoon herbal tea. Kiel turned towards Lycel calmly. "So let's talk. First off, who are you?"

"Thanks for not just shutting me out there with all those creatures. They'd have ripped me to pieces by now. Like I said before, my name is Lycel." Lycel scratched behind his ear awkwardly. "I'an assassin who was ordered to kill you." Kiel began to open his mouth when Lycel cut him off. "Hold on, let me finish. I was ordered to kill you months ago, back when you were in Iriel. I had been watching you from a distance and trying to figure out who you were. When I was sent on this mission, my superiors refused to explain who you were to me. I still don't know who you are, apart from being Kievan. Lycel shook his head and sighed to himself. "It was my graduation mission, so it could have been for that reason, or because they were hiding something. I didn't trust them."

"Why not? Did you have any reason to doubt them?" Kiel asked.

Lycel shook his head. "That's just it, I never wanted to be a part of this. The assassins guild picked me off the street as a toddler and raised me to be what I am. I never wanted to do any of this, and they wouldn't take no for an answer. Maybe I was just trying to find a reason to get away from them."

"So why are you here then? I know I was your target, but if you were just going to run then why did you come to me? Wouldn't it have made more sense to lose them in the forest and escape while you can?"

"No, I can't do that. The guild is too powerful, they see too much. I need allies, people I can trust to watch my back. When I was following you, I noticed something. You have this, feel around you. I don't know how to explain it but it makes people notice you, for better or worse. To me, you seem like someone to follow. I have no one else, and my brain has all but screamed at me to do so." Lycel bowed slightly towards Kiel. "So please, let me join you. On whatever you're doing, wherever you're going," Lycel's voice quivered as he choked out the last line.

"Hey dude, woah. You're good, no need for that. It's kind of awkward now, but I'm not sure if you want to follow me. I've got assassins and soldiers on my tail from nearly every nation. Guess people don't like Kievian princes running off on their own." A light smile broke on Kiel's face.

"Prince. So you're one of the Wrandal's then? Which one are you?" Lycel asked.

"Kiel Wrandal, youngest prince of Kievia. No achievements, so I doubt you've heard of me."

"Ancients. They had me chasing a damn prince, I can't believe it!" A light chuckle escaped Lycel. "You're right, I haven't heard of you. Just Karil for his achievement of reaching tier 4 formal swordsmanship, and Kelva for her tier 5 light magic. I'm going to assume you'll be capable of the same feats in the future. I'd want a tier 4 swordsman at my back, it'd help me sleep better at night."

"Well that's the hope. But if you wanted me to be capable of that now, you'd be sorely mistaken. I've been training my tail off since I got here, but I'm not at that level yet. Lycel. If you're serious about following me, I'll take the help. I need strong comrades to help me fulfill my ambition. You watch my back, and I'll watch yours." Kiel's voice had grown proud and strong.