Defender of the Soul

Chapter 12: Revelations

Palette stood hunched over, his hands braced on his knees as he panted from the effort his magic had demanded of him and the energy he had expended. Using magic at a consistent rate was way harder than he ever would have anticipated; it gave him a new sense of respect for Goth and the control they had exuded when summoning a veritable platoon of constructs while he was struggling with three.

Despite his inexperience, he wouldn't let it hold him back from improving himself; being the strongest meant he would have to work from the ground up to master his magic.

Finally catching his breath, he asked, "Hah... how was that?" There was no answer, prompting him to straighten his back and turn around, "Goth?" His friend was leaning against a pillar, staring out at the constructs still littering the field with a far-off look; their grave expression and guarded posture suggested something was bothering them. "Goth!" He raised his voice, startling his companion out of their trance, "Hey, is everything okay? You look kind of pale."

"Yes," Goth was smiling, but it was one of placation rather than genuine cheer, "I was lost in thought. I apologize for my absentmindedness, would you mind repeating your words?"

The response did nothing to quell his worries; something was going on and Goth wasn't saying anything for some reason... it felt like he was being pushed out again. He debated pressing further if not for the growing unease on his friend's face; instead, he donned a reassuring smile and said, "It's okay, I was thinking it might be time for a break since we've been practicing for a while now."

Goth blinked in confusion, then glanced toward the treeline as if only just noticing the time, "Ah, yes...a well-earned feast should be awaiting us in the dining hall. Let's gather our belongings and be off."

Reaching down, the prince picked up the tablet and handed it to Palette before putting their capelet back on. They started on the path to the dining hall as he began to wonder what would be served tonight; after the rigorous workout he had, he hoped it was something hearty.

Right, he never got an answer on how he did; he opened his mouth to ask, only to find Goth lost in thought while staring at the unlit sconces. Did he not like that it was getting dark? Moving closer for comfort, he softly asked, "So how do you think I did?"

"Hmm?" Goth's skull swiveled around, his eye light regaining its brightness as he processed the question. "Oh, yes... you successfully summoned multiple constructs and were able to strike stationary targets at a distance when utilizing two constructs at once," the monster listed off the accomplishments, sounding a bit proud as he concluded, "I believe you did quite well for having never summoned more than one construct or used them as projectiles. With more practice on focus and endurance, you'll certainly be able to compress your constructs enough to create solid blockades in time." He opened his mouth to say something else, but his eye light shifted away as he mumbled, "if you happen to find time to spare in the future, I wouldn't mind helping you work toward your goals once again."

Excited by the suggestion, Palette happily exclaimed, "Yeah, that would be awesome!" Thinking over his schedule, night patrol would interfere with the next three to four days... unless he could find someone to cover those shifts. "I might be busy over the next couple of days, but I'll let you know when I'm free again." Goth nodded in acceptance. The door to the dining hall came into view as another question popped into his mind, "By the way, how long did it take you to get a handle on this stuff?"

"Do you mean summoning constructs or creating barriers?" Goth asked.

"Both," Palette clarified, "You made a ton of bones earlier like it was nothing and the last time I saw you using barriers, you looked like you didn't even have to think about it."