A Dance with Darkness and Light: Re-Origination

7: The Invitation

Three days had passed since this incident and Bazuul was currently being trained in the art of the sword and bow by Kadi.

He had done just that ever since returning to the castle, being trained in the arts of war, trying to cultivate the light and darkness, educating himself and attending to his special guest in the dungeons.

In the beginning, he was clumsy with the sword, but still held on and got through the first day. The second day was all the same, but Kadi made a discovery he himself wasn't sure of - it was more like a hunch at first - but after a while into the training regimen the young prince seemed different. Then came the third day.

The stress that came from the pressure of being a beginner slowly vanished from his face. His eyes also started to clear up with every strike, no matter if an offensive or defensive one. Until the fires of battle intent from who knows where eventually lit up toward the end of this training session, reflecting in his expression.

Although Kadi was still easily able to parry all strikes that came in - he, a well-decorated knight - still felt a pressure, one reminiscent of the one on the battlefield. These strikes came in progressively stronger and a lot more durable, yet it did not seem to tire out this young prince. On the contrary, his facial expression seemed to be one in wonder with a tinge of arrogance which unveiled on the tip of his curled-up lips. Accompanied by his occasional chuckles and even rarer snorts. The idea of tiring out because of these prolonged sets of consecutive strikes seemed to be none of his concern.

Bazuul, on the other hand, felt like a fire had been lit, more so he felt like he was shaken awake and that feeling like this was what being alive should be. As this fire grew so did his thirst for battle, his sword seemed to be part of his body. At any rate, he at least was able to enter the sword with his mind's eyes as if it was part of his body. toward the end this fire seemed to slowly play tricks on his mind. He started chuckling in an uncommon fashion, and he really felt that it was a shame that it was Kadi and not someone else he was currently fighting. Preferably an enemy that he could vent on and then cut down.

Right now, he somehow hungered for slaughter. To let go, break free, burst open and burn the whole city down, but a voice shook him awake...

"Very good young prince, this will be enough for today! If my memory serves right it will soon be time for your studies." Kadi remarked as he sheathed his sword back into his scabbard.

"Eeeeeeeh? Is that so?" Asked our young prince and chuckled. He put down the sword and centered himself once again.

"I guess that's it for today, see ya tomorrow!"

After that Bazuul spent two more hours studying the codex.

At first, he couldn't make sense of it since he could read the letters but not unlock the full knowledge hidden between the lines. Apparently, there was a process in place on how to activate the arcane codex.

So, he asked Bram if he knew something about it. Bram explained that an arcane codex is always attuned to some attribute. Be it light or darkness, the elements, nature magic and so on and so forth. Also, there were different ranks to an arcane codex and an individual had the have certain qualifications in order to acquire a particular codex.

For example, doctors would most of the time learn the ways of water-mending in order to use the water elements healing attributes, but not everyone has the qualification to get their hands on a codex of this rank. Not legally that is, but in areas surrounded by a lot of water - like the kal'terran marshlands for example - there was a working-class called the water-benders. They may not be able to heal others, not even allowed to learn how to mend, but with their abilities in the water-element and therefore their control over water, made them a fundamental part of their society, agriculture etc.

Of course, there are also other arcane codex's, for example, ancient ones or incomplete ones which have been found in ancient ruins or other mysterious locations such as yours, which can then be bought.

In order to activate the full knowledge of such an arcane codex, one has to first make sure that one's body contains the energies of the attribute the codex has been attuned to, and then synchronize them to form a bond of a kind." Bram concluded at the end of his unnecessarily long explanation.

"Right." Bazuul simply commented and put the codex back into his ring since he wanted to avoid anyone from knowing any of his potential abilities, including his attributes.

That was yesterday, today he was alone and tried to connect his light-energy with that of the codex. To no avail, it seems that there were other factors that had to be put into consideration. Once again, he put the codex away and thought that he'd visit his guest in order to show his honest intend of hospitality.

He was just walking down the hall that led to the dungeons when he heard a somehow familiar voice he didn't really recognize calling out to him.

"Now, if it isn't little Zuul, I heard that my little brother caused quite the commotion in my absence."

Bazuul turned around and saw a tall, dashing guy, clad in exquisitely forged armor and brimming from one ear to another standing not far away from him.

He eyed him from head to toe, looked at his eyes and thought.

"Mmh, if memory serves me right that should be my big brother Kuzan, eldest son of the family, prince of the north. An honest person, a warrior that values honor." He sneered

"I wonder what a guy like him would want with a little brother with such reputation"

Even an honest person, one that values honor, may eventually fall to the temptation of the throne, so he attached a gentle smile on his face and asked.

"My, my, if it isn't my honorable eldest brother, I didn't realize you returned from your most recent expedition to the north. How was it?" Kuzan laughed a bit and said.

"Just saying hello to my little brothers and inviting them to a meal this evening, just us four brothers, a good meal, and drinks!"

"Mmph, sure, see you later then big brother."

Bazuul sneered and said as he turned to enter the dungeons.

The smile on Kuzan receded and his eyes became firm as he faced Bazuul's back. Soon after though, a soft smile curled his lips, as he turned around and started walking, he said.

"You've changed little Zuul!"

Bazuul was just about to close the door to the dungeons when he heard that sentence and simply chuckled as he shut the thick wooden door.