The residence of Master Koh was a towering old manor house. Two stories of well-kept hardwood covered the surface of the structure. It was splendidly painted in bright and cheery colors. An exquisitely manicured garden swept along the front of the building and on past both sides. The front door was carefully engraved with a sweeping, curling pattern that accented the flowing garden.

An elderly gardener was on his knees just inside the brilliantly painted gate. Thick green hair was tied into a loose braid down his back. He spoke lovingly to the plants as he dug little holes in the ground. The man carefully placed the young saplings into the moist soil. Out of the corner of his eye, the gardener spotted Valorous walking up. Friendly yellow eyes looked up at the visitor. “Well met, young one. I’m Nola. How can I help you?”

The disguised prince bowed his head abashedly. “I was told to come talk to Master Koh. I’m, uh...” He stopped and blushed when he realized he couldn’t give out his real name. For some reason his teacher’s face popped into his head. On the fly, he finished with, “Tamiel. I’m Tamiel.”

The kind-looking man smiled at him. “I see, so that’s how it is. Hello, Tamiel, and a good afternoon. Well, you’re in luck. Koh is currently in. Go on up. Don’t bother knocking, he never comes to the door anyways. Don’t tell him I said this, but I think his hearing is going.” The elderly man sniffed. “Stubborn old fool refuses to realise that he’s getting on in years. Sometimes I wonder why I married him. Oh, you don’t want to listen to me complain. Let yourself right in and give a shout.”

Despite the kind man’s permission, Valorous awkwardly stepped up to the ornate door and knocked anyway. He felt it was weird to just walk into someone else’s home. But after a while without anyone answering, Valorous tried the handle and found that it was unlocked. Opening it, he cautiously took a step in. “Hello? Master Koh? Nola told me that I could come in. And Maddie told me to find you…” Looking around, the prince saw a pristinely clean training facility.

Hardwood floors gleamed in the late afternoon light. Racks of various weapons, both wooden practice pieces and real versions that definitely looked sharp and ready for real combat. Expensive mirrors adorned two of the walls, so a practicing student could watch themselves perform and fix the flaws in their own forms.

A feeling of homesickness overtook Valorous as he surveyed the training room that was so like his own. Lost in thought, the prince dodged instinctively when he felt a deadly intent rush at his neck. He flipped backwards and landed in a defensive crouch. The stolen knife proved its usefulness when it blocked the next attack. As suddenly as the attacks started, the aura of violence disappeared just as quickly.

“Hardly fair.” A bent old man stood by the weapons racks leaning on a cane. He was quite short and his bent spine only added to his diminutive stature. A wispy beard matched his thinning white hair. The ringed tail of a red panda curled solemnly around his waist. He wore a loose red shirt and pants that allowed for easy movements.

The elder’s hand brushed along the various weapons neatly lined up in one of them. “Using a rusty knife.” Selecting a thin blade, the old man picked it up and tried its edge. Seemingly pleased by its sharpness, he swung it around a few times, testing its weight and balance. “You might accidentally kill someone!” The man nonchalantly turned to Valorous, threw the blade’s hilt at him and said, “Defend yourself, boy.”

Catching the sword, the prince noticed that it was perfectly suited to his fighting style. He didn’t get much time to get to know the blade though, as the old man launched into a lightning-speed series of attacks with his cane. Each strike was delivered with deadly force. Valorous barely managed to keep blocking and struggled to keep up with the old man’s speed. A furious series of exchanges ensued with Valorous laboring mightily just to withstand the old man's relentless barrage.

The old man was composed through all this. He looked like he was on a leisurely stroll instead of locked in combat with a sweating and gasping vagabond. “You’ve been classically trained, young man. Yet, you look as though you belong to some forgotten slum. I sense a strange magic on you as well, but somehow you are preventing me from seeing it clearly. Quite an intriguing set of qualities for someone barely out of diapers.”

The old man’s assault continued to speed up and the number of bruises multiplied on Valorous’ flesh. At odds with the acceleration of his precise strikes, Master Koh nonchalantly asked, “Where did you come from?”

Valorous replied in between heavy breaths. “Nowhere, grandfather. I’m just an orphan looking to become a mercenary.”

“Everyone comes from somewhere, boy. But not everyone knows how to fight like this.” the man retorted, “Your fighting style reminds me of someone…”

“Texnosha’s benevolence, cradle me. Flowing stream!” Valorous muttered underneath his breath.The spell cloaked the boy in shimmering currents of air. With the wind guiding his movements, the rag wearing prince was able weave in a few counterstrikes. Though the slashes were easily blocked, still hope and determination started to flicker in his eyes.

“Good. This was starting to get boring. Show me what you’ve got, boy!” Master Koh taunted his opponent. He charged forward, focusing his attacks on the boy’s feet and legs.

Valorous kicked towards the man’s chin, and as Koh jumped back, he took the opportunity to open distance between them. “The Guile of Korovix, trick the world. Shadow’s children.” Chanting under his breath, he summoned three identical copies of himself. The four of them expertly wove and flipped around each other as they ran forward, endeavoring to deceive the older man’s vision. “Try this!”

Even the experienced fighter was surprised when he felt the weight of the blow across his cane. “They have mass? What is this?” His eyes narrowed. “Hmph, not bad, kid. However, there are some pretty big differences between these golems and yourself.” Master Koh faced off against one of the identical Valorous’. He lashed out behind himself, his cane ruptured the magical structure behind him. “They have no autonomous will; instead they rely on the puppet strings of your awareness. If you don’t recognise an attack, your creations won’t respond to it either.” The hit clone dispersed into black smoke.

Valorous attacked simultaneously with his two remaining dopplegangers. Koh was hard pressed to block all of their strikes, but he wove and danced between them by a hair’s edge.

“Second, though visually identical, their sounds are different.” He spun and struck at the real Valorous, bruising the boy’s blocking forearm. “Their footsteps are softer, they lack the whisper of breath, and they possess no heartbeat.”

Valorous grimaced at the pain, but the two fakes struck the old man with glancing blows. “Next,” he continued as though he hadn’t been cut by the golems. “They lack proper facial expressions. You snarled in pain when I hit you. And, though faint, there was fear in your eyes when I turned to you. They showed no such fear.” A magical force descended across the battleground. It seemed that gravity itself bowed to the might of this master. The boy’s determination was unwavering. He strained emphatically to stay on his feet. The clones stopped moving as their master’s attention was focused on staying upright.

Master Koh stood up straight and cracked his back. “Finally, their existence is dependent on your attention. Distract you, and they’ll disappear.” Suddenly he rushed past the prince’s strained guard and kicked the boy harshly in his chest. Valorous was knocked backwards onto his rear end. The false princes simultaneously vanished into a dark mist.

“You’re obviously talented. But your inexperience in actual combat is palpable as well, boy. Given enough time, I could polish you into being the premier fighter of your generation.” Master Koh stroked his beard as he spoke.

Nola’s voice interrupted from the front door. “Oh, are you done torturing the boy already?”

Master Koh scoffed. “Nothing that he couldn’t handle. Don’t get your bleeding heart all over the house, Nola.” He picked the sword’s sheath from the rack and threw it at the prone boy. “Keep the sword, kid. It’s a lot better than that rusted pot metal.”

Nola glared at his husband. Walking towards the still sitting ex-prince, he grabbed Valorous’ shoulder and helped him to his feet. “Don’t be mad at me that you let him ruin your shirt. Look at those slices. You must be getting sloppy in your old age, Koh.”

Ignoring the jibe, Koh turned his gaze to the bruised young man. “So, what are you doing here, boy?”

The ragged prince bowed. “As I said, Master, I am an orphan. I would like to join a mercenary company, but I am both too young and too inexperienced. I came here for advice.”

Both of the older men contemplated for a moment. Their eyes met and a silent communication passed between them. Koh looked away first. He spoke gruffly. “I’m sorry, boy. There are strange forces looking for you. We cannot help you and you cannot stay here.”

The confused young man asked, “Strange forces? Why would anything…..”

Before he could finish, Valorous was interrupted by the scowling Master Koh. “Idiot boy. You think that you are the only awakened child of Korovix? Your magical signature gives you away. Your illusions might fool most people, but they won’t work on me.”

Unexpectedly, Valorous remained calm. “Then it is even more important that I get to the Forest of Giants. No one will be able to detect me there.”

The men’s expressions mirrored each other exactly in their disbelief. It was Nola who spoke up this time. “Tamiel, what do you know of the forest? It’s a dangerous place, why would you want to go there?”

Valorous, or Tamiel as he would call himself from now on, rubbed his neck. “I had a teacher once. He used to be an adventurer, and he actually went into the forest. He talked of the courage and compassion of the people who lived there and said that the rumors plaguing the forest were lies to keep away fools. I was hoping that they would accept me into their numbers.”

Nola looked relieved. “You must have had a good man as your teacher. The tribes don’t tell their secrets to many. But even so, the Forest of Giants is a dangerous place. Are you perhaps skilled in woodcraft?” He looked at Tamiel with serious doubt in his eyes.

Blushing, the boy shook his head. “I fear that I would be completely out of my element. After my mother’s passing, it’s been hard enough to survive in towns.” A look of determination came over his face. “But I have to go, as you said, it’s dangerous for me to stay in normal places.”

Master Koh had watched the exchange hopelessly. “One week.” The other two looked at him with different expressions. Tamiel was confused, while Nola was relieved. “You have one week, Nola, to cram as much knowledge you can into this fool’s head. Though I doubt it will do any good. He’s as good as dead. But who am I to stand in the way of someone’s decision for their final resting place?”

Koh’s husband wrapped him in his arms tightly and kissed him lovingly. “You big softie.”

Koh scowled and waved his hand dismissively while using his other to push away Nola. “Bah. His pursuers are far away yet. One week here, two weeks to the forest, he’ll make it there before anyone catches up to him. Then the forest’s magic will hide him. Or eat him.” He shrugged before walking out of the room. “Speaking of, I guess I’m making dinner tonight.”

Before Tamiel could respond, Nola clapped his hands with resolve. “Well, Tamiel, let's get to work.” He guided the boy by his elbow through the tidy home and into a beautiful backyard. It matched what Tamiel had seen from the front of the house, being carefully placed and vibrantly cheerful. Rows of large trees shaded the yard from the bright sun. The smell of herbs filled the air and luscious looking berries grew from vines in neat rows. “Now, I may not look it, young man, but once I was considered the top ranger in the Scarlet Alliance. In case you didn’t know, the SA is one of best mercenary companies in all of Enoch. In fact, that was their training grounds you stumbled across Maddie in. Anyways, using two week old hoofprints, I can track an elk through a blizzard. Ask Koh, it’s actually how we met.” He smiled at the memory. “But we only have a week, so I’m going to move fast. Let's hope your memory is as good as your sword skills.”

The newly-christened Tamiel was determined to learn and remember everything they were willing to teach him. He tried not to show his emotions, but he was overwhelmed by their offer to help him. Bowing to his new instructor to hide his tears, he spoke earnestly. “Thank you for everything, sir.”

Patting him on the shoulder, Nola decreed, “Enough of that. Listen well, Tamiel. To make it in the forest, you’ll need to know four groups of things: what you can eat, where you can sleep, how to run away, and which way you’re going. Actually, if you know those four things, you’re pretty set anywhere you are.” He chuckled at his own joke. “Let's get started, then. First up, let's talk about plants. There are hundreds of edible plants throughout the Forest of Giants. However, Tamiel, there are also thousands of plants that can kill you. Most of them horribly.”

Nola started to walk slowly down a row of plants. “I’ve been collecting different seeds since I started as a mercenary, and now I have quite the collection. Quite a few of them came from that forest. Here. This is the foxfire bush, called so because of its jagged red lineation like a flame. Its roots are full of vital nutrients. But this plant is a trickster. Plants are not simple beings. They have many types of defense mechanisms. Poison, armor, spikes, mimicry; each plant is unique. Notice the width of the red outline.”

Tamiel got in close to the red tinged leaves. The red edges flickered and flared as though they were made of actual fire. Nola pointed towards one of the leaves. “There are actually many bushes that look similar to this one. Foxfire is prideful though. It pretends to be like the other poisonous look-alikes. However, calm your breathing and continue to watch.”

The boy took in a deep breath and relaxed, letting himself fall into a trancelike state. As his eyes unfocused, he realized that there were hidden flecks of gold within the pulsing red. “There’s bits of gold shimmering within its edges,” he replied after a moment.

“Exactly. That's how you know it's really foxfire. It’s egotistical preening. Be polite when harvesting its roots and there is no need to uproot the whole plant. Watch.” The retired ranger knelt before the bush and pulled out a trowel. Starting about a foot and a half away he started to dig a partial circle a few inches deep. Once he encountered a root, he carefully unearthed it, getting closer to the bush’s main body. Once he had revealed about eight inches of its root system, he stopped. “Magnanimous foxfire, please grant me this gift.” Using the sharp edge of his trowel, he struck down and severed the root in one strike. “Thank you for your bounty.” Nola carefully removed the section of root. “It tastes terrible if you don’t ask first. And always remember to return the dirt to the hole you’ve made.”

Nola tossed the root to Tamiel. “Boil it for at least twenty minutes and it’ll get mushy. You can survive on this alone for several months. However, where's the fun in that? Let’s go over several other common edible plants.”

They spent the next couple hours going over various types of plants, most of which had been cultivated in the beautifully arranged backyard. The former prince didn’t only learn about plants that were safe to eat. He also gained knowledge on plants that he could use against foes. Some of them gave off horrible smells to distract any attacking beasts;another possessed piercing thorns filled with paralytic liquids that you could coat arrows with. There was even a carnivorous flytrap with sharp teeth and a hypnotic aroma. Evidently, its sap had minor healing properties, but it was so dangerous that no one really took advantage of them.

Koh’s voice echoed from the back door. “Hey, Nola, Kid. Dinner’s ready. Quit playing with plants, and eat some instead.” He turned around and went back into the house.

Nola got up off of his knees. “Well, Tamiel, I think that that’s enough for today. Your knowledge of plants should get you through the forest for a while. Tomorrow, we’ll go out into the woods and see if you can hunt. Meat goes a long way towards breaking up the monotony of eating roots. But for now, let’s go eat while it's hot. He might not look it, but Koh is a wonderful chef.”

Tamiel stood up and bowed again. “Thank you again for your hospitality, sir.” He was embarrassed that he kept thanking them, but he didn’t know what else to say. Over the course of the day, he had spoken very little to his temporary teacher, other than questions about what he was teaching him. Tamiel realized that the days of easy conversations with Nahira, Tiriel, his mother, and the rest were gone along with his position as a prince. So now he struggled with speaking even the bare minimum. He was relieved that neither one of them asked him anything personal.

Dinner consisted of a light salad made from lettuce that grew in the forest with a berry vinaigrette, mashed foxfire roots, and croctopus flank steaks with wild onions. After his months of foraging and near starvation, Tamiel was moved almost to tears by the rich and delectable flavors. He slowly savored every bite. He was aware that if he scarfed it all down, it wouldn’t stay in his stomach. He decided that it would be the gravest of sins to waste any of this glorious meal.

Though the scowl never left Koh’s face, he approved of the boy’s careful attitude. He pretended that it was a coincidence that the night’s meal consisted entirely of food that could be acquired from the Forest of Giants. But his husband’s amused glance showed that he had noticed.

After dinner, Tamiel offered to help with the dishes. Nola accepted his help, and the two of them cleaned up while Koh sat and enjoyed a cup of freshly brewed tea. Nola’s eyes were colored with amusement at the boy’s clumsy attempts to help. It was completely obvious that he had never cleaned up after himself before. Yet his table manners had been impeccable. Nola’s eyes darkened as his thoughts wandered.

But when Tamiel turned to him to ask if there was anything else he could help with, Nola’s eyes had returned to their brightened merriment. “No, Tamiel, that will be quite enough for tonight. Let me show you to our guest bedroom. There is a pitcher to wash up in and nightclothes for after that. I’m sure it’s been some time since you’ve slept in a bed, and after this week, who knows how much longer it’ll be until you will again. I’m glad that you found your way to us, Tamiel. I only wish there was more we could do for you.”

After so long on his own, Tamiel had all but forgotten what kindness was. He finally broke from holding in all of the pain and suffering he had experienced. The loss of his mother by his father's hand, his best friend trapped in that horrible city, having to flee the only place he had ever known, the loneliness of the last months, his hunger, his exhaustion, and his burning rage. Collapsing to his knees, Tamiel clutched at Nola’s shirt and burst into broken sobs.

Nola looked compassionately at his temporary pupil and knelt in front of him. Encircling the young boy in his arms, he held Tamiel close and whispered calming and consoling words. “Shush, child, it’ll be okay. Everything will be fine. Just you wait.” After a long time, Tamiel actually nodded off while kneeling on the floor in the hall. Nola sighed and picked up the exhausted child and walked to the guest room. Laying Tamiel down, Nola took the kid’s boots off and covered him. He took one last look at Tamiel’s tear stained face before he blew out the candle and closed the door behind him as he left.

Koh was in the hall, leaning against one of its bare walls. He sighed as Nola’s saddened eyes met his own. The former ranger sighed back. “I hope Tiriel was right about this. This poor boy is trying so hard to be strong.”

Koh shrugged his shoulders. “It’s certainly a gamble. There is no doubt that he is extraordinary and quite talented. But I can sense a darkness growing in that boy. Watching his mother get murdered. Seeing his father go mad with rage and fear. Learning of the xenophobia towards his heritage firsthand. The scar runs deep and I fear that it may be too deep to ever fully heal. I don’t think he’s ready to know. As he is now, he might grow into a monster worse than what we are currently facing.”

Nola contradicted his husband. “But I see much light in him as well. He isn’t spurred forward by revenge, but in order to protect one he loves. The boy even chose a name similar to Tiriel’s. I’ll put my faith in their bond.”

Hearing this, Koh lowered his head. “I hope that you’re right. Either way, we’ve come this far. I’ll have to adapt our strategy. I’ll contact Hayner tomorrow and tell him that we’ve found the boy. What happened in that kingdom went way beyond my calculations.”

The pair of old men closed the distance between themselves and rested their foreheads together. Closing their eyes, they sighed in unison. They remained that way for several minutes, giving comfort to each other. “I guess we should head off to rest ourselves, love. It's going to be a long few days ahead of us.” Nola took his husband’s arm and they headed to bed.

…………………….

The next morning, Tamiel had regained control over his emotions and was even more determined to learn everything he could. He clutched his chest as he thought of Nahira and what she must be going through. “Hold on ‘Hira,” he whispered. “It’s going to take awhile, but I swear, I’m coming for you. Please wait for me.”

Fresh clothes were laid out for him, and a note telling him to come down when he was ready. He washed his face with water from a bowl on a dresser and got dressed. He finished by strapping the sword Koh had gifted him yesterday to his belt. Tamiel descended the staircase and saw Master Koh practicing his sword forms through the open doorway. “You’re finally awake, I see. Took you long enough. Nola is in the backyard setting some things up for your lessons. Come in here and spar with me before breakfast. You’ll need to get a lot better if you plan to keep on living.”

The determination never left Tamiel’s eyes, “Yes, Master.” He walked purposefully and stopped in front of Koh. Tiriel dropped into his stance and drew his sword. “I’m ready.”

Master Koh immediately rushed forward, full of an overwhelming killing intent. Tamiel was put on his back foot from the get-go. He struggled against the more experienced man’s battle aura. “You’ve been trained well in the physical side of combat. But your battle intent is practically non-existent. Even if you’re faster or have more power, you’ll always be at a disadvantage. Intent is the warrior’s first line of defense. Without it, you will die.”

In Tamiel’s mind, Master Koh suddenly grew in size. His features became more beastlike and a pressure tore against the boy’s stance, ripping him down onto his hands and knees. He struggled to even breathe against the pressure, his lungs and other organs were being squeezed tightly. Violent but silent coughs racked his body as it struggled against the onslaught. His vision started to go dark. Tamiel realised that he was about to die from the weight of the master’s will.

As his thoughts started to dim, a vision flashed across his mind. Nahira, his love and best friend was screaming, tears streaming down her face. It was a memory from when his mother was killed. It sped forward to their last parting.

“Run, Val! Just go!” Her hoarse voice yelled as loudly as it could. She struggled, kicked and bit at her captors.

“I’ll be back for you! I promise ‘Hira!” His younger self replied in anguish.

As the darkness almost swallowed him completely, he heard his princess’ voice one last time. “I know you will, Val!”

His heart finally forced a beat despite Koh’s dominating will. Blood pushed its way forcefully through his body, igniting his brain. Tamiel had been trying to conceal his emotions, to bury them deep down. He realized now that he was wrong to do so. The determination he was so proud of was a weak thing without his passion driving it. He broke the chains he had forged around his heart over these long months of lonely wandering.

A memory of Nahira’s laugh as she grinned at him filled his broken heart. He strained against the pressure to whisper to his princess, even though she was so far away. “I will... keep my promise.”A weak trace of reddish light flickered in his chest. He growled as he fed it his every emotion, memory, and desire. His father’s betrayal, his mother’s needless death, his love for Nahira, his desire to learn, and his wish for the power to protect those he cared about. The dimly shining light burned brighter as he fed it. The pressure that pushed down on the prince was reduced, as his own will fought against it. As it grew, its color deepened and split. Strands of gold, blue, purple, grey, and black wove their way through the crimson aura.

Tamiel forced his hand against the ground and strugglingly pushed himself up. He grabbed his sword as he stood, fighting back against Koh’s will with everything he had. His snarling face was full of his new-found determination.

Suddenly, the deadly intent disappeared as though it never existed. Tamiel was left panting and shaking by its dissipation. Koh spoke as the boy tried to catch his breath. “Well done, child. It was reckless of me to initiate you into the arts of intent in that manner, but you don’t have the time to take the slower path. If you were unwilling to break free from the chains you bound around your heart, unable to find your will to survive, then I would have let you die.”

The prince shakily put his hands together and bowed to the elderly man. “I understand. Thank you, Master Koh.”

Nola popped his head through the doorway and raised an eyebrow. “Breakfast is ready. Get washed up, Tamiel. We have a lot of work to do today.”

Breakfast was simple, but still much better than Tamiel had gotten used to during his flight. Hard boiled eggs, warm toast, cut fruit, and thick slices of ham in excess. “Don’t be shy, you’ll need your strength to keep up with me today. Eat up. Then you and I will be heading out into the woods outside the city. You’ll be catching our dinner tonight.”

They left immediately after Tamiel finished eating. The town had quieted down somewhat now that the exciting tournament had finished. Citizens carried out their business peacefully. Stall owners loudly hawked their wares to the passersby. Here and there, couples held hands and laughed as they walked. Parents followed behind their rushing children. Nola waved an arm. “This city is protected by my old guild, the Scarlet Alliance. It’s a good arrangement for both sides. Its people are safe and happy. Their trade is protected and many of them work in supporting roles to keep the Alliance equipped.”

Tamiel looked thoughtful. “Many of the towns I passed through were falling apart slowly. Their people always looked worried. Is all this contentment really because of a mercenary group?”

Nola shrugged. “They know that they have help if they need it. Having a future that is certain does a lot to alleviate people’s fears.”

Soon enough, the pair had reached the city’s gates. Another thirty minutes passed as they followed a dirt path towards a medium-sized forest. Birds flew through the branches, warning one another of the two intruders. Other small animals chittered and grumbled at Nola and Tamiel as they strode through the shaded woods.

“Alright, Tamiel. These trees are nothing in size to the ones in the Forest of Giants. But they are large enough to teach you the skills you’ll need once you’re there. Learning to climb trees quickly is the best way to evade many of the forest’s predators. Your training in the martial arts will allow you to master these techniques quickly.” Nola leapt onto the nearest tree. Then, using all four of his limbs, he climbed quickly up its trunk like some graceful mix between a squirrel and a spider. “Come on, you’re much more spry than me.”

Tamiel made a face, but then he got to work. He leapt onto the tree decisively. Hitting it, the boy slid down its trunk, scraping his forehead on the way down. He landed on his rear, and grabbed his head. Glaring at the tree, he kicked it. Nola couldn’t help but laugh at the comical sight. “You’ll only hurt yourself if you hit it like that.” He leapt off of his tree. “Open your sight and watch closely.”

Tamiel ran his mana through his eyes. He saw his teacher’s hands and feet glow slightly as little barbs of mana extended from his palms and the bottoms of his feet. Nola leapt towards the tree again. His mana threads bound him to the tree’s bark. Then, he retracted the magical hairs in his hand, stretched his arm out and grasped the tree again. In this manner, the retired ranger quickly ran up the trunk and into the tree’s branches.

Standing up, Tamiel tried spreading his mana across his hands and feet. The resulting structure was rough. Pursing his lips, he altered its construction. His eyebrows dipped in concentration at the unfamiliar use of his aura. A few minutes passed in this manner.

“Hey, Tamiel. Don’t stand there all day. You’ll get it much faster through actually practicing the technique.” Nola ribbed him a little. “You can’t be scared of a couple scrapes.”

Tamiel blushed through his scowl and approached the tree again. This time he successfully grasped the trunk, but when he tried to move, the mana dispersed and he started to fall. However, he kicked off the tree and after a backflip he landed on his feet.

“Better. Try again.” Nola said from his comfortable perch in the branches.

After a half hour of practice, Tamiel was successful. Though he was nowhere near Nola’s fluid grace, he could scurry up fairly quickly. He could even leap from one tree to another. He stood on a thick branch and bowed to his instructor. “Thank you, Sir.”

Nola grinned at the boy. He threw a package at Tamiel. “After lunch, you’ll be in charge of catching dinner.” Inside the package was a couple delicious sandwiches, a piece of hard cheese and an apple. The still-growing boy devoured it all, replenishing the stores of magic he had spent in learning to climb trees.

With lunch out of the way, they descended back to the ground. Nola beckoned to the boy. “Traps are a hunter’s best friend. They allow you to be in multiple places at once and increase the likelihood that you’ll eat each day. I’m going to show you a few easy to replicate traps. Sit here and watch.” Nola opened his pack and took out a few common materials. He grabbed some fallen branches as well. Using practiced and efficient movements, Nola quickly assembled several different types of traps. For each trap, he spoke about which animals they would catch, where to place them for better effect, the times that their targets were likely to encounter them, and other miscellaneous information about their use.

Tamiel followed along and quickly reproduced Nola’s work. His past as a trickster helped immensely in understanding how the traps were built and functioned. Looking up, he noticed Nola’s look of disbelief. He grinned despite himself. “I’ve got some experience with traps, though I never ate any of my previous targets.”

The ranger barked a laugh. “I see. Well, let's get these set up. Then we’ll go on the hunt and actively search for our supper.”

Over the next few hours, Nola taught Tamiel how to find tracks and notice other signs of an animal’s passing. “Tamiel, these woods are mostly safe. The Alliance keeps larger beasts out of the area. I won’t be taking you anywhere where you can see for yourself the markings of real predators. Keep your eyes open and your wits about you. Tonight I’ll do my best to describe some of the monsters you’ll meet in the Forest of Giants.”

After showing Tamiel how to follow the signs, Nola stepped back and let the boy lead them through the woods in search of prey. Tamiel motioned to the ranger. He whispered into his ear. “There’s a deer, grazing beyond these bushes. What now?” The deer was about five feet tall at the shoulder. It was covered in a mossy green pelt. Little white star-shaped fur dotted its back and sides.

Nola silently strung his bow. He whispered back, “Can you shoot? Or should I take this one?”

Tamiel nodded at the elderly ranger. “I’ve used a bow before, from here I think I can hit it.”

Nola smiled proudly and held his bow out to the young man. He pointed towards the deer’s torso. “See that big star on its side? Aim for the upper right point. That’s where it’s heart is. Show me your skills, Tamiel.”

Testing the bow, Tamiel nodded at his teacher. Nocking an arrow, he took aim at the oblivious creature. He took a deep breath, and loosed it and the arrow at the same time. The arrow flew through the air and pierced its target precisely at the specified location. The deer bleated in panic and pain. It started to bolt, but after a few steps, it collapsed.

Nola patted his pupil on the shoulder. “Well done. Your accuracy is quite impressive. However, I wonder how well you would deal with a moving target, or if you had to quickly fire at multiple targets charging at you. How confident are you?”

The former prince rubbed his neck. “Not as confident. My accuracy goes way down if my target is moving too fast and because it takes me time to aim, I can’t rapid fire. If that deer had noticed me and ran, I probably couldn’t have hit it.”

Nola placed a hand on Tamiel’s shoulder and spoke seriously. “Honesty is a rare trait, young man. Being honest with oneself is even rarer. Don’t ever lose the ability to look inside yourself unflinchingly.” He pulled a knife from its sheath on his arm. “Here, now we’ll field dress our dinner and check the traps we’ve placed around the woods.”

In addition to the deer that Tamiel killed, they had caught a brace of small birds and a mammalian looking creature called a gorger. The gorger had a long sinuous body and twelve stubby legs. Its claws had a paralytic venom that was useful for coating weapons with. Nola revealed that the two-foot long beast was kin with a much larger version found in the Forest of Giants.

On the walk back towards Lenore, Nola told his temporary student about the beasts that inhabited the Forest of Giants. Including the twenty-foot long cousin to their twelve-footed dinner, each was scarier and more abominable than the last. But the ranger’s lecture also included ways to deal with each of them. Which ones could be fought, and which ones he should absolutely run from.

Once back in the city, they stopped at a few stalls so that Nola could buy some vegetables to round out their catches. The kind man had to force payment on each of the vendors. “No, no, I could never accept payment from the Golden Arrow. Please accept this as a gift.” Each one tried to give their wares away to him, and it was clear that he was an idol in the city.

As they headed towards home, Tamiel asked about the citizen’s worship. “So, they called you the Golden Arrow?”

The older man straightened to his full height. “I was a mercenary for many years. I even rose to the number two spot in the Scarlet Alliance due to my many successful expeditions. I’ve protected this city over and over again.” He shrugged, “They’re just showing their gratitude. I refuse to take advantage of that, though. Remember that it’s always important to treat everyone fairly, Tamiel.”

………….

“It’s rare for me to have such an eager student.” Koh was going through basic sword forms in the salle. Tamiel had come down the stairs and stood in the doorway, patiently waiting for a break in the swordmaster’s training. “Never forget to practice every day. You have enough faults to keep even the most studious person busy for years.” He motioned the boy to join him. “You’re much too stiff, kid. These stretches will help with your flexibility. At least, the flexibility of your body. But your real problem is the inflexibility of your head. You’re tentative and fall back on defending too much. Then your moves become perfect representations out of a textbook. Easy to read, easy to predict.”

Tamiel narrowed his eyes as he absorbed every scrap of information Koh was willing to give him. The stretches were surprisingly difficult, he could feel his muscles pulling against the foreign moves.

“Your use of magic is inspired, and you come up with new iterations on the fly. You should think about how you do that and apply it to your swordsmanship.” Using his hands, Master Koh guided Tamiel in the correct postures to maximize each stretch. “I can also tell that you are unused to the emotions of combat. Normally, I have to tell my students to let go of their egos. You, on the other hand...”

Koh pulled the former prince upright and glared deeply into the boy’s eyes. “Let yourself be angry. Allow yourself to be desperate. Use that desperation to come up with new solutions. Be the chaos that is found beyond structure and form. Alter your patterns constantly so that your foes cannot predict your movements.” He pushed the boy lightly away. “But most importantly, to grow you must be decisive. You’ll never be able to succeed by only defending. Attack, boy, if you ever plan on winning.”

Nola walked in on his husband's heartfelt speech. “I’d listen to him, if I were you, Tamiel. That advice is how he landed me, after all.” Nola winked at them both. “I think you should give him a day without beating him senseless. It’ll let him actually think about what you’ve taught him. And, anyways, I’ve been breaking my back to make that archery course in the backyard. It would be a shame if you killed him and all of my hard work went to nothing.”

Koh retorted gruffly, “Do what you want. But make sure he’s prepared for what’s to come. He’ll look back on this time and remember it as a vacation from the hardships of life.”

Tamiel silently agreed with the blunt swordsman. This week was heaven compared to the last few months. He could hardly imagine what roughing it in the Forest of Giants would be like. He choked out his thoughts, “I’ll never be able to show my gratitude for everything you’ve both done for me. Thank you.”

Koh turned and walked away without saying anything. But Nola made up for his husband’s brusque manner by smiling affectionately. “Tamiel, it has been a pleasure to teach someone as studious as you. Koh and I have both devoted our lives to helping the next generation. And I have a feeling that you’re going to go off and do great things. But, let's see how you do on my obstacle course before you go gallivanting off to save the world.”

For the rest of the afternoon, Tamiel ran through the training ground that Nola had built. By the end of it, he realised that Nola was just as cruel as his husband. The archery course was pure hell.

The first obstacle was the simplest. Tamiel stood at the starting line and fired at three targets. The first was seven yards away, the next at fifteen, and the third was fifty yards. As soon as he loosed the third arrow, he took off running towards the next hurdle, one hundred yards away.

Once there, he leapt onto an unstable platform and shot at a target half hidden in a tall tree. The arrow hit the side of the target and triggered a rock trap. Stones were hurled at him from the surrounding bushes as he dodged and rolled towards his next challenge.

That challenge was to keep running another seventy yards while simultaneously shooting at four different marks.

Next, Tamiel had to stop forty-five yards away to shoot at three erratically moving discs.

Following that, he again had to dodge thrown rocks, this time while firing on another three targets.

Then moving on to the next obstruction, he had to climb up the side of a tree using the aura trick that Nola had taught him yesterday so that he could reach a higher branch and shoot at a group of four fake foes.

The last obstacle of the course was a series of hurdles that Tamiel had to leap over while taking aim at three distant objectives.

Needless to say, his first run did not go well. Nola whistled facetiously at the panting boy. “You weren’t wrong yesterday when you told me you were only good at stationary targets. If only life were a game where your enemies and your dinner stood around obliviously! Too bad. Go again. This time, pace yourself and pay attention to your breathing. That’s the key to hitting your mark. Yes, speed is important, but not as important as precision.”

Tamiel glared at the track and vowed that before he left in three days, he would beat this hardship.

As the sun set, Nola called a stop to the training. “That’s enough for today, Tamiel. Let's get you washed up before dinner.” He took the very smelly boy over to a bathing shed attached to the back of the house. “I trust you know how the enchantments work?”

Tamiel was in a near-fugue state after his singular focus on the track. As he nodded dumbly, he started to realize how much he hurt. His hands had basically turned into claws at the unfamiliar uses. The boy hissed as pain made its way into his dulled brain.

“Here, let me help you with that.” Nola took the boy’s hands in his own and cast a light curative spell. “Sednexul’s favor, blow a healing breeze. Curing Gust.” The blisters that had started to form receded back into Tamiel’s hands, becoming the beginnings of a callous instead of disappearing completely.

The breeze swirled playfully around them and Tamiel was suddenly taken with how similar Nola looked to his princely tutor. A twinge of homesickness pulled him down. Before Tamiel could find the words to ask, Nola interrupted the boy’s thoughts. “Off with you, now. I’m sure Koh will have finished cooking by the time you’re done.”

Tamiel gratefully followed the ranger’s advice. He was too tired to want to pursue the painful thoughts twisting around his mind in a cruel mockery of the body-healing gust

Dinner that night might have been the tastiest thing Tamiel had ever eaten. That, or he was so hungry after the day’s training that he devoured everything the retired couple put in front of him. He was barely able to follow the table manners that had been ingrained into him from birth. After he was finally full, they sent him off to bed.

The next few days went by in a blur. Since he had never had to cook before, Tamiel asked to help prepare the meals. Especially after the last few days of eating real meals, he didn’t want to go back to uncooked plain roots, fruits, and vegetables.

In the mornings, before breakfast, Tamiel sparred against Koh. After lunch he ran the archery course over and over until dinner. Then he would collapse exhausted into his borrowed bed, to do it all over again. Both of the retired teachers tried to cram all of the knowledge they possibly could into the boy’s head.

During their sparring sessions, Koh focused on teaching Tamiel about the tides of battle. “Being able to read your opponent is to be able to beat your opponent. Pay attention to their movements, their aura, their faces.” As always, Koh’s voice was measured and calm, while his cane was mercilessly knocking Tamiel around. “Seeing these things allows you to predict your foes. Even on a wider scale, you can notice how an army is going to move by watching their individual warriors. Are they grouping up in preparation of forcing a wedge? Are they spreading out to trick their foes into a pincer movement?”

As their spars progressed, Koh’s movements started to exceed what Tamiel was capable of following. There appeared to be a masked anger woven through the older man’s strikes. “You have the intelligence to notice these things if you try, and that’s how you’ll get promoted in the mercenary world. Boy, if you fail to move up the ranks after all we’ve done for you, I’ll personally find you and kill you for being useless.” He ended his threat by knocking Tamiel to the ground once again.

“Yes, Master Koh.” Tamiel bowed while on his knees. He realized that Koh was, in his own way, worrying about him. “I won’t disappoint you.”

Nola’s instruction off of his obstacle course included more advice on how to survive in the wilds. Most of it was about how to work around the beasts that roamed the forest. Was that hollow currently inhabited? Is it safe to start a fire here? And other things of that nature. His tone became serious once he started talking about the tribes. “It’s important that you treat everything respectfully during your travels through the Forest of Giants, Tamiel. I can guarantee that the tribes will find you long before you reach their hidden cities. They revere all of nature, all of life, as divine. Be thankful to your prey for filling your belly. Be grateful to your fallen foe for teaching you. If they think you are acting dishonorably, they absolutely will kill you.”

After dinner on the last night he would be staying, Tamiel was brought to the salle. Arrayed across a table were the tools of a ranger. A sturdy bow and leather quiver full of arrows. A magical compass. A set of throwing knives and another set of game knives. A small pot and a couple basic utensils. An enchanted rope that would unknot itself after a trigger word was spoken. Copies of some of Nola’s maps. Rations. A full suit of leather armor, perfect for blending into the woods. And finally, the sword that Koh had gifted him when he first arrived.

Nola spoke first. “We’ve gathered a few things for your journey, Tamiel. I know your life may have seemed like a nightmare, but I’m proud of you. You didn’t fall into depravity and darkness, when so many would have. You’ve given everything you could to learn from us, and you want to give back to the world. Please take these with you as you start this next step in your adventure, as you learn about who you are, and who you want to be. Not everyone is against you, child. You might be alone physically, but how many are with you in spirit? How many more, before you’re done?”

Unable to hold in his emotions, Tears dripped down Tamiel’s face. “Thank you both. You’ve shown me such kindness. I fear that I’m not worthy of such benevolence.”

“Don’t thank me, boy. All that junk was just lying around, now that we’ve retired. It’ll be good to get some clutter out of the house. You’ll probably end up dying anyway. A kid going into the Forest of Giants on his own. Of all the hairbrained schemes I’ve seen in my long life, this is the gravy on top of the rabbit. No, don’t thank me. Just prove me wrong.”

Tamiel bowed as deep as he could. “Yes, Master Koh, Nola.”

All too quickly, the sun broke through on the morning Tamiel had to leave. Their last breakfast would have been quiet, if not for Nola’s recounts of the various adventures he and Koh were a part of when they were young. Tamiel couldn’t help but laugh at the way the ranger described his husband’s antics. Koh acted as though he was unbothered by Nola’s crazy stories. But there was a twinkle in his eye.

Tamiel’s mood remained high as he got dressed in his new armor and prepared to go. He would miss Nola and Koh dearly. But he had gained confidence in his abilities over the course of the week and was hopeful that one day he would be reunited with Nahira. He had promised her, after all.

He walked down the stairs for the last time and found Nola and Koh standing shoulder to shoulder in the salle. Dropping any sense of decorum, Nola stepped forward and pulled Tamiel in for a long hug. Tamiel hugged him back just as fiercely, surprised that his eyes remained dry. “Thank you, Nola. I’ll make you proud, and one day I’ll be able to tell you stories of my achievements.”

Nola sniffed through his pleased smile. He held Tamiel’s shoulders at arm's length. “See that you do, Tamiel.”

The boy was shocked that when Nola released him, Koh drew him in for a hug as well. “Remember that you can never hide from your destiny, kid. All you can do is prepare for it.” Koh messed up Tamiel’s hair. “And, if I find out that you’ve died, I’ll kill you.” He pushed Tamiel away. “Now get out of here, boy. Daylight’s wasting.”

Tamiel bowed to the pair one last time. “Thank you. I’ll be seeing you, and that’s a promise.”

Supplied, equipped, in much better shape than he was when he arrived, and filled with determination, the former prince turned west and headed for the forest.