Aetherian(Part 1): A War Begins

Melody

 It was three months after Melody and Trevor began to train with each other near the top of the Ivory Tower. The air was colder, and the heat from their lightswords offered little warmth, but they were both used to it. They grew up in Snowfall, which was surrounded by an unforgiving environment. Melody missed the feel of the cold, though.

"Mel, focus!" Trevor scolded.

"Sorry!" Melody shouted. Trevor lashed at her again, and Melody parried, then made a swing. In the past three months, she had also learned to warp and heal, and when Trevor made a swing at her, she quickly flashed a blue light around herself, appearing behind him. Melody quickly caught his foot with hers and knocked him to the ground. Trevor rolled on his side and pushed himself up.

"Nice move," he said. Melody quickly warped backward as Trevor swung at her again, and smirked as he missed his attack. Trevor then lunged at her one more time, and Melody dodged to the side, grabbing his arm, and throwing herself over him. Once she landed on the other side of Trevor, she kicked him in the back, knocking him to the ground. He didn't quickly jump to his feet this time, though. Trevor slowly stood himself up and put away his lightsword.

"You have learned all I need to teach you," he said. Melody had a smile on her face, but it quickly went away.

"I thought it took six months," she said.

"Well, you were born aura-sensitive, like me," Trevor reminded.

"How come you did the whole six months, then?" asked Melody.

"Well, I didn't know I was born aura-sensitive at the time," said Trevor.

"Oh, right," said Melody, then she sat down on the platform, holding her lightsword in her lap. She was chuckling, and when Trevor came and sat next to her, she was filled with joy.

"So, I'm a Guardian, now?" she asked.

"Well, no," said Trevor. "You still have to say the oath before the gods, and the Commander, or a General." That would be easy enough. For the past three months, she had memorized the sacred Guardians' oath so much that it was seared in her mind.

"Isn't there the first mission, too?" asked Melody.

"Yes, there is," said Trevor.

"What will mine be?"

"I'm not sure," Trevor answered. "That depends on the circumstance."

"And what circumstances would influence my first mission?" Melody asked.

"That depends," Trevor repeated. "Maybe your father will have you help with Lord Ingram's murder."

"But I thought he died of age," said Melody.

"No, he was poisoned," Trevor corrected.

"Does the King know?" Melody asked.

"Commander Vestarr has tried to tell him, but he refuses to accept that he was murdered," said Trevor. "Which is ironic, since he's the one who named him the Head Counselor."

"Yeah, that is ironic," Melody agreed. "Do either of you know who killed him, yet?"

"No, that's why we're still investigating," Trevor teased.

"Alright, alright," Melody groaned, then she smiled as she said, "I can't believe this is happening." Her entire life, she dreamed of what she would do as a Guardian of Zenartha. Whether it be fighting against monsters, injustice, darkness, or protecting the ones who can't protect themselves, she would serve more than Aetherian, now. She would serve Zenartha.

Suddenly, Trevor pointed up, saying "Hey, look." When Melody looked up, the sun was blocked by gray clouds, with snowflakes falling to the ground, covering the Ivory Tower's platform. Mistral's streets were soon covered with a white blanket of snow, shining with what little sunlight that came through the gray clouds. It had been months since she had last seen the snow, and winter had come.