Arcanum

Chapter 23: Lucas

"You suck at meditating." My father deadpanned, and I opened my eyes and glared at my dad in frustration.

"Meditating is only the beginning of your training. But already, you're struggling. It's going to take a while for you to wield swords that are infused with crystals."

I looked away, and sighed.

"Well I have too much on my mind."

It's not a lie.

Me being kind to the princess? My mother is dead. The king is grown suspicious of me, and the renegades are attacking the kingdom.

"Just clear it from your mind completely. Stare at the sky, or the grass." My father said softly.

I huffed, and closed my eyes again. But grew impatient quickly.

"Dad I can't just clear my mind! What if the kingdom is being-" My dad cut me off by doing "shh"

I reclosed my eyes, and focused on nothing.

Suddenly, it almost felt like everything around me disappeared. I felt.. more relaxed than I ever had.

"Okay that's enough, Lucas." I heard my father's voice, and I opened my eyes. Only to find my father's blade in my hands.

"Gah!" I threw it from my fingers, and my dad grinned.

"You didn't feel pain, did you?" He questioned, and I paused and checked my hands. They weren't burnt. I didn't even feel pain either.

I smiled softly, and looked at the blade that laid across from me.

"Well go back to the kingdom and practice meditating tonight. Alright?" My father asked, and I nodded and stood up. I slung the sword over my back, and hugged my dad goodbye, before I walked off into the forest.

I began to lose myself in my thoughts. Like, how was my mother before she died? Did she think about me?

"LUCAS!" I heard Trisha scream, and suddenly she barreled into me and knocked us over.

She cried out, and I pulled her off of me, to only freeze.

Trisha had a dagger sticking out of her back, and blood began to trickle out from the deep wound.

"Tr-Trisha..?" I asked, not believing it was her.

I looked up to see catori people standing there, and my gaze flew back down to Trisha. She had tears flowing from her eyes, and she was weakly smiling.

"N-No.." I was unable to process thoughts, as light faded from her eyes.

I watched her eyes slowly close, and her muscles untense.

"It can't be.. true." I whispered, and it was almost like something snapped.

Anger overtook me, and I unsheathed the sword without even feeling pain. I lunged forward so quickly, the catori didn't even have the chance to move.

I stabbed through one, and color exploded, and I stabbed further, and pushed it into another catori.

They both fell to the ground, and I did a quickly, but deep vertical slice. They screamed, and melted from the intense power of the crystals. But I didn't stop to look.

I jumped at the next couple catori, and killed them quickly.

I turned to glare at the rest, and I curled my lip, gripping my sword and they shivered, before they turned and ran.

I relaxed, and almost came out of a daze.

I immediately turned back to Trisha, but she wasn't moving.

"Trisha. Trisha!" I shouted and rushed to her side. But she gave no response. I gripped her hand, and bent over her, and glared at the dagger in her back, before I pulled it out.

"General? What happened?" I heard a familiar voice, and I looked to see the catori princess.

I rose, and felt my burning anger return.

"Did you send those catori after me?" I spat, and she looked confused.

"Well look what they did! They killed her!" I shouted in rage, and put a hand on the hilt of the magical sword, but didn't draw it.

"You have ten seconds to leave. Or your fighting your way out." I said darkly to her, and slowly drew the sword, and let it glow.

Her eyes narrowed, but she backed off, and disappeared in the forest.

I stopped, and fell to my knees.

"I'm sorry Trisha.."

* * *

"Yes.. She died today." I reported sadly to the king. His majesty rubbed his chin.

"How did she die?"

"A catori threw a dagger into her back. She was dead by the time I chased away the catori." I reported, but lied about chasing them away. I killed most of them and only two escaped.

"How tragic.. If you'd like, the army could hold a memorial and bury her tomorrow." The king offered, but I sadly smiled and shook my head.

"I already buried her." I told him, and he nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry it happened to your friend. Why were there catori on our territory?"

"I'm not sure your majesty." I honestly told him.

"Are you still injured? I would like there to be another war. But I know your arm was hurt in the last fight." The king said, and I blinked in surprise. Since when does the king actually care about my well-being?

I nodded to him, even though my arms still hurt.

"I'm not entirely sure if I'd like to go though."

"Alright give me your answer at sundown. You are dismissed." He said to me, and I bowed and walked out.

I walked back to my room, and begun to think. Should I join the war that will happen soon?