Shattering of a World: Thorns and Roses (Book #1)

Chapter 5

Daytime shifted into a black night in the working arts of Bueyr. Tarion was lying down on his bed reading a book he was halfway through, lost in a world full of adventure. Books were his escape from the real world, and every description and dialogue he read in each paragraph was like a river of beauty. There was nothing to stress over, and Tarion could free his mind.

Zevian was on his owl stand, preening his feathers next to Tarion's bed while Eugene was sitting on the edge of his bed-on the other side of their room-polishing his sword. The two were not only friends, but they were roommates as well. When Tarion and Katrina were tenderfoots, slowly growing, they didn't have dorms. So, they and the other tenderfoots at the time were required to go home after training. The kingdom in Fasiqua was too far for them to travel for training, but with Uniniqua's domain close to their home, that was where they decided to train. So, whenever the two were off from training, they would journey to Fasiqua to visit Katrina's father; he was a hardworking healer, and sometimes he had to work late at night, so he didn't have time to pick them up. The healer also didn't want to risk them walking from Uniniqua to Fasiqua, so he asked a friend of his in Uniniqua if he'd be willing to have his daughter and adopted son stay at his place until they were old enough to live in the dorms. His friend happily agreed.

Time went by fast, and the two were finally old enough to live in the dorms around their teen years. Everyone was required to have a roommate, and the icy blue-eyed teen wasn't enthusiastic about being roommates with someone he didn't know. Still, when he met his roommate Eugene, he was surprised they managed to get along, and before he knew it, they clicked. Katrina, too connected with his roommate, and Tarion honestly expected that his dark brunette friend would've been the one to have a roommate to get along with, but that was quite the contrary. The female trainee didn't even have a roommate, and her roommate only lasted in the dorms and training for less than a week. Katrina told the two boys that apparently, her roommate got kicked out because she was using illegal drugs, and they took that with a grain of salt. With her excellent reputation, though, Tarion's long-time friend was allowed to have the room to herself, and she hadn't had another roommate since then.

"You feel prepared for the Seven Quality Trials?" Eugene asked, looking over his blade that glinted near the candlelight on his bedside. "I think after all that studying and practicing we've been doing lately, I've got a good feeling we'll do well."

"I tend not to think about it too much," Tarion replied with his nose still stuck in his book. "Last thing I need is pressure building up during the trials. Especially when I want to remember the memories I had forgotten when I was little."

The Seven Quality Trials was one of the most critical tests the senior trainees would need to take, and passing the trials would be very important. Passing the following trials would give any senior trainees good chances of graduating as soldiers. Tarion had been studying and practicing with Katrina and Eugene for that day to come, and every day they got better. So when the Seven Quality Trials came, Femus, God of strength, and Dibium, God of knowledge, would either be by their side or not even bother.

"Fair enough," Eugene said as he sheathed his sword in his holster. "I'll admit, though, studying for the trials and finding hints to your past won't be easy to balance out." He then slid his weapon under his bed. "But I'm always up for a challenge, and it's certainly not the first time we've had to try and balance things out."

"Indeed, it isn't," Tarion nodded in agreement, and he finally looked up from his book to Eugene. "We pretty much live in challenges, and it's not like we have a choice in the matter anyway. The seven gods and goddesses have never made things easy for anyone."

Eugene nodded and crossed his arms behind his head as he lay on his bed. "I know you said you didn't know where to start in your search, but do you have anything to work with?"

Tarion didn't answer right away, but he tossed his book onto his bed and pulled out the one valuable thing underneath his shirt he had kept over the years. "I have this."

The icy blue-eyed trainee showed his roommate his necklace-a black cord with a white pendant that had a strange shape hanging from it. It was smoother than a book cover, and it was about as rough as armor. Tarion wasn't sure what the pendant was supposed to be, but either way, he had the feeling that his necklace would be one of the ways to unlock the memories he had forgotten all those years ago.

Eugene stared at the necklace curiously. "Never seen you wear that before."

"It's kind of personal." The only people that knew of his necklace were Katrina, her father, and Mrs. Augusta. Tarion wasn't one to trust people, especially when it came to his pendant, but he trusted him enough to show him his necklace, with Eugene being his friend and roommate. "It might not be a lot to work with, but it's a start."

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing. I don't think I've ever seen a necklace with a pendant like that before."

"Neither have I nor Katrina, her father, or even our neighbor. So I can't say for certain what it is, but it might be flint. If it's not that, then I don't know what else it could be."

"Maybe we'll find out soon enough once we've found some answers you need." A yawn then emerged from Eugene. "Well, I suppose I should get some sleep. See you in the morning."

At the mention of sleep, Tarion also supposed he should get some sleep. So he picked his book up and placed it on his bedside, and as he did, Eugene blew out the candle on his bedside, then turned his back to the icy blue-eyed trainee. Tarion went under his quilt, but before he blew out his candle, he looked at his snowy owl, who was now staring at him. Zevian wasn't a nocturnal owl, so he knew he'd be getting some sleep soon without causing a stir.

"Night, Zevian," Tarion whispered to the snowy owl. He then blew out his candle, and the room became completely dark.

The icy blue-eyed trainee rolled onto his side, and he found his thumb stroking the smooth, white pendant. With each day passing, not being able to remember his past, he felt like it was slowly killing him. Tarion wasn't sure when and if he'd be able to find the answers he needed, but all he asked for was closure and nothing more. However long the search would take, he would accept it, and with his roommate and Katrina willing to help him, it made things better.

Tomorrow's a new day, Tarion thought to himself, and he waited for sleep to overtake him.