--- Roric

Against the boy's predictions, Tolwin had revealed to be much more than he looked.

Roric listened to the entire tale in silence, and in all due honesty the sole existence of something like the Eye of Judgment made him feel completely lost. How could someone possess a power and still be considered human? Were there really people so frightening in the world? It was hard to accept. Still the old man had shown him trust by telling that story, and the young mercenary couldn't rely on anyone else more than him. Plus, he seemed to have knowledge about the Elementals.

"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit tired now. I've talked for hours," announced the man. "We have a lot to do tomorrow."

"What are you going to teach me first?" asked Roric, expectantly.

"You will learn to fight. I mean, for real. Ugrin has trained you, that's true, but you'll soon realize what you can do with a proper master. Elementals aren't common people, remember it."

***

The following day came. After an early breakfast the two went to the center of the glade, just a short distance from their encampment. Tolwin reached for his bags and pulled out an object wrapped with bands of cloth. When he removed the covering, a one-handed hammer appeared and the boy couldn't say to have ever seen a more majestic weapon, one not even the commander's White Talon could compete with. It looked heavy, masterfully-built, a simple design adorned with many elegant golden symbols. The priest lifted it with surprising ease, resting it on his right shoulder.

"It's been some time," he said, with a satisfied tone. "I'm ready, show me what you can do."

"What? Are you saying I should... Attack you? I don't think it would be a good idea."

"Of course it wouldn't, but not for the reason you think. Don't treat me like a feeble elder. I have a weapon too, don't you see?"

Roric drew his sword, walking forward cautiously. Tolwin followed him with his gaze, without shifting into any conventional stance.

Is he really prepared to fight?

"For real?" asked again the young mercenary. "You told me to stay away from combat. If my power activates I don't know if-"

"I was trained to face much worse than an Elemental who can't control himself, boy," replied the man. "Now hit me, if you think you can."

After a couple of seconds Roric felt ready to go, took a deep breath and tried a vertical swing. He didn't want to injure his friend, so he remembered what he had learned from Frauli and didn't put all his strength into the blow. An instant before the blade could connect, however, the priest stepped aside. Thanks to his superhuman reflexes the boy could see that movement clearly and was amazed by how fluid and flawless it looked. At the same time, he also realized that now he was fully committed to an attack and there was no way to dodge.

The hammer moved with unsuspecting speed, delivering a firm push in his back. When he impacted with the ground, Roric gasped painfully.

What did just happen? He did it... So easily?

Tolwin was much, much older than him but there was no simply no way of describing how fast he had been. While watching the boy that struggled to get back on his feet, the priest took two or three steps back and just stood there, seemingly relaxed like before.

"Try again," he ordered. "This time, with more enthusiasm."

The young mercenary decided that he had to be even more careful with his approach, his opponent being definitely dangerous, so he kept his distance by circling around like Meran used to do during the training. Step by step, he moved sideways until he was sure to reach the perfect angle, then he attacked.

Why didn't he turn with me? It's not like he can't hear me coming, but...

To trick the priest into thinking that he was going for the same swing twice Roric opened with a feint, but dashed forward with a series of wide blows instead.

You won't move around if block your way-

Like a dancer, Tolwin dodged the blade with calculated movements while spinning his hammer at the same time. He parried Roric's fourth strike, then grabbed him and tripped his legs while he was still on the offensive. Pushed down by his own strength, the boy found himself on the ground again.

"Surprised?" asked the priest. "I have to admit it, you are not bad for a beginner. You know how to adapt and don't mind failing, good qualities for a someone who wants to learn. I believe it's a good starting point."

This is so frustrating. It reminds me of all those times Meran kicked me... How humiliating!

Even now that he knew Tolwin was an expert paladin, there was no way Roric could stand to be treated like he was completely harmless, especially after all those years of training. For that reason, just as the old man turned around while still talking, the boy jumped up and prepared to strike. Nonetheless, the impossible happened. The hammer seemed to appear from nowhere, parrying the blow, just like the priest was still seeing him clearly. The young mercenary stepped back, shocked.

How? There is no way he could... He was facing the other way!

"Nice try," commented Tolwin, giving him a smug grin. "But ultimately useless. While they fight, paladins constantly project an aura around their body and use it to read their surroundings. Even in the deepest dark, you will never catch me off guard."

"What should I do, then?" complained Roric. "It's like everything I've learned up to this point was completely-"

"Pointless, that's right," stepped in the priest. "And now I'm going to explain you why. Let's start by saying that it's not like you didn't learn anything during these years, but you have to understand that what Ugrin told you has limits. He probably told you what to do with an opponent you can predict, but what will you do if you have no idea of what you are fighting? You can't afford to throw away all your caution and attack blindly when you go against someone like me. And you should apply the same thinking to anyone."

"Even if it's true," admitted the young mercenary. "You are too fast. I can't possibly keep up with you."

Tolwin frowned.

"Are you sure about this?"

Roric stopped, thinking about what he had just said. There was clearly something he had missed, but couldn't figure out what it was.

"Listen. The Elementals are natural born fighters, who can't be trained by a regular person. Their bodies are strong and resilient, they heal much faster and can generally ignore most of what would stop a normal human being. Do you get it now?"

"Not really."

"You possess a powerful bond with your spirit, and the stronger it becomes the more it will reflect on your physical prowess."

The boy couldn't help but looking at him with a very puzzled expression.

"Come on, don't make that face!" exclaimed the man. "It's obvious that you can't fight at the same pace of your reflexes now, for they are just a benefit of what you are. Do you really think that they are just for show?"

"So... How much stronger can I become exactly?"

"Here's the most important thing, and get it through your head. You need to ignore what you perceive as a limit. Force your body to do things you don't think possible, learn to think of your spirit as a weapon. This way, things will be very different. There will be a moment, not so far into the future, when you'll struggle to find an enemy you can't take."

Roric remembered Ugrin saying something similar about his talent, but he couldn't believe it to be that true.

"Ugrin told me that I'm developing faster than the others. Does it work this way?"

"Yes and no. Swinging that blade around every day is bound to bring you some results," replied Tolwin. "But only if you train your mind along with it. Otherwise you'll never be able to take full advantage of your Elemental nature."

The boy sighed. Just when he was thinking to have reached an acceptable level, the world was there to remind him that he still had a long way to go. Nevertheless, he felt lucky to have a master who knew his stuff so well.

Tolwin is on my side. If I want to become a strong warrior, who can save lives, I just have to trust him and endure. Like I always did.

He lifted his gaze towards the old priest, gripping his fingers around the handle of the sword.

"Tell me what I have to do."

***

--- Lowan

Disappearance.

Lowan's eyes went through the contract that a courier had just brought from Aregat. Over the years the company had been contacted for the widest array of jobs, but the commander had to admit that among the many tasks that particular one seemed to be completely inappropriate for a group of mercenary soldiers. Yet, he hesitated about refusing it. Knowing how dire the situation was, any extra coin was welcome.

"My employers beg you for an affirmative answer, sir," said the messenger, before leaving. "If you don't help us, the only thing left to do will be getting in touch with the capital. And I doubt they'll send soldiers in time."

The Senate hearing what mere commoners have to say? This man has a point.

The premise behind that contract, at first glance, was nothing more than one of those stories you could hear in some disreputable tavern. A rumour, nothing more. In short words, sometimes in Aregat people disappeared, seemingly at random and without leaving any trace. The only witnesses were drunkards, beggars or generally disreputable scoundrels, and all of them were spitting the same nonsense. Screaming women dragged through the alleys in the middle of the night, weird noises on the rooftops or outside the doors of certain houses, and cloaked figures running around in the fog.

Under normal circumstances, Lowan would have passed on that fairytale without thinking twice, still a part of that story bothered him a lot. He had never met Stelvan, the Lord of Aregat, but the way he had just decided to go on vacation with his family in his countryside mansion spoke volumes on how much he cared about his people. Left alone to take care of that problem, the citizens had spent the last three months waiting for the return of the nobleman and had to find a solution to the issue by themselves. That alone made them seem a lot less pitiful to the commander, who was starting to think he wanted to help.

Initially, he believed all that fuss to be just the result of the actions of some maniacal killer, but the pay was pretty good and he was also tempted to accept for that reason.

Money has been a problem lately. Even something so trivial could guarantee the safety of the company.

He didn't have many men anymore and their morale was literally hanging by a thread. The simple fact that the people of Aregat were ready to give enough coin to cover the following six months would have meant surviving another winter. And at that point, Lowan would have been able to travel back to Guhrien and maybe find more work there.

Everything seemed to constantly remind him of how serious the consequences of his decision back in Sinen were. Had he simply accepted to sit on his father's throne, he would have probably lived in comfort for the rest of his days. The commander kicked away those thoughts whenever they surfaced, because he was a mercenary, a man of action, and a quiet life wasn't suited for him.

That's all an excuse. You know well how much of a mistake that was, old fellow.

Lowan looked at the mirror he kept inside his pavilion. He couldn't remember clearly how much had passed since the last time he had stopped in front of his reflection, but with the campaign and all it must have been at least two years.

Did I look this old back then, too?

From the corner of his eye he spotted the White Talon and its shiny, polished handle. That sword was the symbol of his heritage, something he carried it around like he still wanted a piece of his past with him.

How many times have I doubted my actions since that day?

No, that was just a moment of weakness. He couldn't say to feel conflicted about refusing the title, knowing how much of a burden it would have been for him. His place wasn't there at the castle. The life of a mercenary was a bumpy ride, and Lowan had chosen to continue that way willingly. Moreover, there were many people in need of his services in the Free Kingdoms.

I'll send one of the boys to Aregat with an answer tomorrow. Let's just hope it's not a waste of time.