Trial of Souls

Book 1 of The Soul Saga

Chapter 1

The Mechanic

“You’ll never become a Guardian, Little Meredith. Not a chance.”

“Says who?!” The clatter of the glass along the counter was succeeded by a hearty laugh, cut off only by the scraping of the stool that indicated the teenage girl coming to stand. Her current source of ire continued laughing, downing the mug in front of him. It was a sight that furthered the displeasure on Meredith Childs’s face. “Last I checked, anyone has the potential to become a Guardian.”

“Hoh? Sure,” the man, bedecked in familiar light armor, said. Meredith watched his eyes turn her way, hand wiping away the foam at his mouth. “But Little Meredith, I don’t think you’d make the cut.”

Meredith’s fists clenched at the insinuation, her lips twitching. She soon pounded one of the fists on the counter. The man took notice, smirking just a little, before reaching over and ruffling her black hair, tousling it from its otherwise straight length that reached past her shoulders. Within an instant, Meredith’s hand snapped out and batted the gesture away, the twitching lips now turning into a scowl.

The man, one Captain Clive, sighed.

“Look, Mera,” the captain began, finally placing his mug on the counter and reaching into his pocket, “you’ve got some impressive trade skills, but they’re not fit for a Guardian.”

“And what is it I lack that others have?” Meredith said, fist splaying out as a palm against the cool wood. A boy her age came along, snatching up the mug and the coins that Clive placed on the counter. He deposited the latter objects into a register. “I’m better than plenty of candidates out there, and I know I can join the Corps.”

“Yeah, we all know,” Clive said. His voice was soon joined with some of the others in the restaurant, all of them dressed just like him. It was a chorus that made Meredith’s heart swell with pride, while still driving the stake in. “Your dream has always been to become a Guardian since you were a little girl.”

“That’s right!” Meredith said, now moving her hands to her hips, her hair flapping out behind her. The boy on the other side of the counter shook his head before placing a hand on the captain’s empty mug and instantly filling it with water from his palm.

Another sigh. Another scowl.

“Dreams are good and all, but you gotta learn reality, Little Meredith. You might think you have what it takes to be a Guardian, or think you do, but without magic, there’s no way you’re even clearing the first trial on your quest to join the Corps. Even the greenest recruits have some basic magic, like my metal reinforcement spells.”

There was a pause where Meredith’s hands lingered on her hips, before soon folding across her chest. Then, she sat back down on the stool with a pout and responded with, “So what? What would you know anyway…?”

No one answered. Clive looked like he wanted to reach over and pat her on the head again. Instead, he stood, the stool scraping in the otherwise lively atmosphere. Others stood with him, looking to join their captain. As Clive did so, Meredith caught sight of the insignia emblazoned on his breast: a circle with six dots and crossed blades in between. It was the kind of sight that made Meredith breathe out in a huff.

“Mera, focus on your work here at home instead of chasing dreams,” was the forthcoming response. Clive reached over again and patted her shoulder this time. “Your dad does good work at the garage, and you’re a crack mechanic when it comes to skyships. So…just leave the Guardians to do their work.

“See ya around.”

He didn’t want her to get in another word edgewise, because he turned right around and left the restaurant. His subordinates were behind him, each of them discussing some sort of arrival they were anticipating at their base. When the door closed, it left a void of sound, despite the other customers in the establishment.

Now it was Meredith’s turn to sigh.

“He’s not totally wrong, you know,” the boy behind the counter said.

Meredith spun around on her stool, her arms unfolding and her head soon slamming onto the wood. It blocked out the noise of both the customers and the television that was broadcasting. She looked up at the brown-haired, brown-eyed, plain-looking visage of her best friend, and pouted. “Oh, be quiet, Eddie.”

“I’m just saying,” Eddie responded with a shrug, wiping down the now clean mug with a rag and stowing it away. Meredith turned her head, looking at the screen that was showing the current news, from upcoming negotiation talks of the Guardian Corps with the Magic State of Lacardia (about what, she didn’t know) to the latest winners at the Trial of Power. She puffed her lips out at the mention of the trial and looked to Eddie, who also leaned against the counter, his face rather close to hers. “You don’t have magic, and I can’t see someone passing those dangerous trials without it.”

“Not like you’ve ever tried. You’re happy just being a busboy at your family restaurant your whole life.” Eddie frowned. Meredith said nothing. It was a comfortable silence, even if her barbed words had likely cut both of them just a little.

Not that Eddie would ever show it. He was kind to a fault, Meredith believed, and it was what made her trust in him so deep. Knowing that, she reached over and hooked an arm around his head to pull him closer, their cheeks squishing against one another. He didn’t argue, at least for a moment, until the voice of his mother called him, and he pushed Meredith away.

Free from that, Meredith sat up and leaned back, blowing into the air.

Eddie, loathe as she was to admit it, had a good point: Meredith had never used a magic spell a day in her life. It was an unfortunate circumstance that made her raise her hand towards the ceiling and extend her fingers out, as if hoping to feel a spark of lightning or a droplet of water. Yet there remained nothing; just the voices around the restaurant filtering into her head.

“Agggh!” As her groan echoed around, getting the attention of some of the restaurant’s occupants, a beep went off at her waist. Scrambling to grab at the pager on her belt and brushing against the tube hooked next to it, she had little chance to take a good look before Eddie had stepped back out from the kitchen. When she did, the message on the small screen made her fling off the stool with a smile.

“Feeling better?” Eddie asked. Meredith spun with a grin, her hair flying around before she reached up to tie it into a bun, green eyes sparkling.

“Dad got an order from the Corps, itself! Apparently one of the light cruisers needs some maintenance work!” Meredith announced. Eddie’s bemused smile was only enhanced as he leaned on the counter, head propped on the palm of his hand. Not letting it deter her, Meredith almost felt like singing. “I get to work on a Guardian Corps ship! Maybe one of their higher officers will be there and I can prove to them what our dear old captain can’t see.”

“Good luck, Mera…” Eddie said. Meredith waved him off, jumping towards the restaurant’s exit. He waved back, mumbling under his breath, though it didn’t stop her from hearing him. “Least you have what you want to do figured out…”

The statement gave Meredith a little bit of pause, though not enough to stop her forward momentum. It did make her look back to Eddie’s far-off expression and smile sadly. Sometimes she wondered if her best friend was really all there.

It was also a thought she could level at herself, as seconds later she bumped into someone at the crossroads of the door. Said someone had choice words for her. “Hey, watch it, girl!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Meredith quickly bowed to the man, dressed in what looked like a ragged fur coat that hung off his shoulders. She didn’t register much beyond that before slipping towards the door. “See you later, Eddie!”

“Mm, take care, Mera. What can I get you, sir?”

“Something hot.”

The ordering was cut off by Meredith pushing the doors open and stepping outside. She briefly wondered if the ragged man had just journeyed from the north. Not that the cold wastes that were the backyard to the coastal town of Lumarina meant anything in the face of the warm sea breeze. If Meredith hadn’t looked over the map of trial locations so extensively, she may not have even believed that just to the north of the southern town was a cold wasteland that served as the home of the Trial of Ice. Or that beyond, the climate changed even more rapidly.

Breathing in the breeze, Meredith turned, walking towards the farther edge of town where the family garage was located. The streets to get there lined the sea, bedecked with milling people and stationary crates. It was slow-going, but with her thoughts so centered on the different trials, she couldn’t help it. This was only furthered by the reminder that a member of the higher-ups at the Guardian Corps, as opposed to just the low-ranking small garrison in town, was potentially a short distance away. It made her face split into a wider grin that even the local captain’s usual dissuasions could never remove.

“Guardian Corps, here I come!” she suddenly shouted. Most walking around the streets of the town said nothing, even if some shook their heads with chuckles. Meredith was neither surprised nor embarrassed by that.

From the very day she and her brother had seen a skyship pass over the town, the crest of the Guardian Corps etched on its surface, Meredith had decided what she wanted to be. When she saw the news report on the ensuing rescue mission, that desire was firmly cemented. Fixing things for a living was fun, but she knew she could always do more. More protecting. More helping than an engine here or a transmission there.

Above everything else in the world, and like her brother before her, Meredith wanted to pass the Six Trials of the Corps and become a full-fledged Guardian.

More than a dream, Meredith knew it was a calling; a journey she wanted to take. No, she needed to take it. Part of her even wanted to drag Eddie along, knowing his own skills would match her own on the road ahead. That humorous thought bubbled up in her head to the tune of, Though, he’d probably be kicking and screaming the whole way.

It was also a sobering reminder to Meredith of all the barriers in front of her; from her need to help at the garage to the all too large and present issue that both Eddie and the captain loved to remind her of.

“Stupid magic…” she said upon thinking of it. It was the one and only thing that made her stop her walk home and kick at a loose stone on the road. Said pebble bounced along the cobblestone, landing near a traveling hawker of antiques. It barely missed the collection of old vases and rusted or broken blades. Meredith glared at it, wondering if maybe she had some kind of earth-based magic she’d yet to unlock, and tried to move the stone with her mind.

It didn’t happen.

Again, she muttered under her breath, “Stupid magic.”

To some, not having magic may have been a non-issue, and indeed there were many out there that lived their day-to-day lives without it. However, the black-haired teenager had it driven into her head that without magic, becoming a Guardian was little more than a pipe dream. She didn’t want to believe it, of course; those deniers knew little of magic in the first place. No, Meredith knew she could make it without magic, but there was no denying its effectiveness. When she watched Eddie with his multi-elemental magic, or her father’s and the captain’s metal-based magic, she saw how useful it was.

The very thought made her scoff and drive a fist into her palm. Maybe she had magic, and maybe she didn’t; it was irrelevant to her. Meredith knew she had enough skills and drive to prove everyone wrong and become a Guardian that would protect the people from pain while upholding that institution of justice and order for all to see. Just like her brother.

“Look out!”

The voice, unfamiliar to her ears, rang in her head. Meredith whipped her head about, wondering who had called out to her. There was no one there. Rather, no one who would have called to her.

There was someone running, though, and they looked familiar, their fur coat flapping out behind them as a friendly, if utterly distressed, face chased after them. The pursuing individual had what looked to be ice crystals forming around his fingers, but was moving too slow. The fur-coat man gained distance between them as he clasped hands to his chest. It didn’t stop Eddie from yelling.

“Freeze, thief!” As if a command, the ice flew from his hands. They were nothing more than little darts that peppered the back of the man’s coat and did nothing to deter him whatsoever. Not a laugh. Not a cry. Nothing. He was clearly determined to make away with what was either money or food from the restaurant, and Eddie wasn’t going to stop that. Meredith had to give her best friend points, though; at least his call had been enough to get people’s attentions, given the newfound movement along the road.

It had certainly gotten hers, and she stepped into the middle of the street, right in the fur-coat’s path. He just barely took notice of her, eyes narrowing on her hand now by her waist, pulling out the tubular object on her belt. Eddie took immediate notice of that fact.

“Mera, don’t! Leave it to the Corps!” he said to her, eyes wide while he shook his head. Eddie looked just beyond her before snapping his gaze back. “He has Allocation Magic!”

“Oh?” she said, a feral grin blooming on her face as she held her tube to the side. The man opposing her finally saw and snapped a hand out. From the nearby antique shop, an old blade flew into his grip, while his other hand clasped his stolen riches. The antique seller gave a cry. “Nothing a good fight can’t make short work of!”

With her declaration made, and the man nowhere close to stopping, Meredith pressed the button on her tube. A link of metal appeared, soon attaching to another. The innards of the tube became a blade that glinted in the bright, coastal sun and reflected her own manic grin.

“Mera, come on!” Eddie called with trepidation. It stopped neither party, and Meredith swung the blade forward, clashing against the enemy’s old one. The man blinked and his body twitched, which she took advantage of.

“You know, I don’t like thieves or bullies,” Meredith said. She spun, sending a kick into the thief’s chest. He grunted from it, and the blades disconnected. With swift appraisal and action, Meredith turned her blade and plunged downward, impaling the edge of the man’s coat and driving it into the stone with surprising ease. The thief’s body bent at a strange angle, frowning.

“Not bad,” someone said, giving Meredith cause to grin further. Her blood rushed, and she leaned against her tubular hilt, peering at the man.

“Next time you wanna steal from the Lumarina Diner, try to make it less obvious,” she said. The flush of victory flooded her face, though she saw Eddie shaking his head with a shrug. “Oh, don’t give me that look, Eddie. He had it comin’, and there was no way I was wasting all that training mom gave me.”

“Yeah, that’s not what I-”

It was only a second for Meredith to realize that something had gone wrong, the error perceived just as Eddie’s words were cut off.

The fur coat slackened. The man’s hands flew to his sides, dropping the blade while the other loosely held to the collection of coins and bills. The angle of the wind seemed to change, only noticeable because there had just hardly been any breeze at all. Meredith barely had time to turn for her to realize that some of the boxes stacked against the side of the road were flying at her and Eddie.

She gripped her sword, pulling it out, but it did nothing to stop the blunt force from impacting with her and throwing her over to the antique shop. The owner shrieked as metal vases and other, various wares showered Meredith’s head. It was enough to obscure her vision, but she could swear to actually hearing the man’s smirk as he took off, along with some clopping steps.

“You okay, Eddie?” She got a groan as response, and that was good enough. Her hand pushed down, flat against one of the broken and discarded antique blades. It was as far as she got, frozen in mid-movement, before the thief collided with the burst of an explosion in midair that sent him to the ground. Seconds later, a blade was held at fur-coat’s throat, leaving Meredith to swallow at the sight.

“I’ll have you return what you stole, Renegade,” the arriving man said. He was far from alone, a whole contingent of Guardians, including Captain Clive, standing behind him with weapons forward. Eddie’s panicked cry to the town had been heard and answered, something he took note of with a grin in Meredith’s direction. She just sighed and made to stand, her hand naturally keeping hold of the hilt to the broken sword she’d been resting on.

“I took nothing…” the man answered. Without his fur coat, he looked rather thin and sunburnt; almost pitiable. It came as doubly so when he clutched his unearned spoils to his chest. His legs scrabbled across the ground, and Meredith could see the fear in his eyes, particularly as the familiar new arrival, bedecked in the armor of a Guardian, pressed his thin rapier even closer, the tip alighting with flame.

“The Flame Commander…Royston Masters…so cool!” Meredith said as a breath.

“No way, Mera. Stay put.” The command was followed with a light tugging on her shirt, pulling Meredith back. That didn’t stop her eyes from shining with the recognition of both the man and the reason he was there. Not dropping the broken sword in her left hand, Meredith’s other hand, still clasping to her own blade, pointed towards the man in question.

“But Eddie! It’s Royston Masters! He’s one of the Big Three in the Guardian Corps under only their leader, Marcus, himself! It’s said his mastery over flames can’t be beat! Not to mention he’s the most well-known! The others never appear in public…” she said. Eddie shook his head again, but Meredith watched the ongoing scene, which was attracting quite a few onlookers. She even saw her own father, beyond the garrison’s force. The movement of the gathered crowd nearly obscured the sight of the Corps garrison, but it didn’t do so for Captain Clive.

“Sir, there was no need to step away from your own duties. My garrison could have handled a simple thief,” the captain noted. To that, Masters snorted and pressed his rapier closer, the entire blade now blazing. The thief’s body slackened and dropped the money to the ground, his hands spreading to his side. It looked like he was about to use his magic again, but Masters’s boot came down on his arms, clearly more than aware of what had transpired.

“It’s of little issue, Captain. Renegades are rarely threats, but I find that those with magic can be troublesome. Sacrificing the bulk of our own forces against one, when a town like this doesn’t often deal with them, is a waste of time. I’m sure you have other duties?” Masters said, his voice deep and booming. Clive nodded, turning back to his forces. Two men stepped forward to take the thief into custody. Masters seemed pleased with this, as he addressed the crowd. “Back to your business, citizens!”

They all listened. Meredith just kept staring in rapt awe as Masters turned away to speak with Clive, who was now sending his men away. His ramrod stature, his nearly flaming hair, and the elegant flourish with which he stowed away his weapon and flames, all encapsulated the best of the best in the Corps. Every action he took calmed the people and instituted law and order.

He was truly the embodiment of what it meant to be a Guardian and his demeanor stirred that calling inside of Meredith.

The flame of determination flared inside her, and Meredith stepped forward again. Eddie let go of her shirt, causing her to nearly stumble towards the man, only to be intercepted by the tanned complexion of her father, a half-scolding expression upon his face. She smiled at him, teeth bared, and he shook his head with a chuckle. The sound drew the attention of Masters, who was overseeing the finalization of the thief being hauled off. Eddie took that moment to brush past and collect the money left behind before bowing to the commander and scurrying off to the restaurant.

“I apologize for my quick departure, Mr. Childs, but duty shouldn’t be overlooked,” the commander said.

“It’s no problem at all. We hadn’t quite finalized the job order, but I already had one of my mechanics start cleaning the engine up for you. I suspect you and your men will be on their way before the evening,” Meredith’s father said, his voice scratchy but wise. The very air of the conversation made Meredith stand a little straighter with pride for the father that was always confident in his skills. Masters seemed to agree, if his own grin was anything to go by.

“I’ve no doubt. Your son always recommends your garage for any work that needs to be done south of the Metropolis.”

“Glad to hear it. Isn’t that right, Meredith?” her father asked. Masters’s eyes moved over, finally catching sight of Meredith as she matched his sharp gaze, glinting with intelligence.

“Yes, Ray…er…Raymond’s referrals are always nice to hear,” she said, keeping her tone even. Masters still grinned and it put her slightly less on edge in the sudden spotlight. “Is he doing well?”

“Well enough; I’ve been so busy attending to other sensitive issues that I’ve not seen him in some time, but he’s well-liked and well-known within the Corps,” was the answer. Meredith breathed out, swelling with pride. The action made her realize her blade was still extended, and she hastily pressed the button on her tube to retract it. Masters saw it, impressed. “He’s certainly mentioned his sister from time to time. Ever thought of taking the trials, girl?”

“Y-yes, sir!” It was all she could get out. Her hands were shaking too much, realizing she’d just been asked by a high-ranked member of the Corps if she’d be taking the trials. Suddenly, everything that she’d always been told was stacked against her meant nothing. It was a reassurance that was reinforced by the slapping of Masters’s hand on her back.

“I like to hear that! The Corps can always use more fighters, and though you seemed to underestimate your opponent in the street today, with a bit of work, I could see you making a fine Guardian…well, if you make it through hell, first, ha ha!” That hardly sounded like a deterrent coming from Masters’s lips. Nor was the feral grin he wore as he stared down at her. From the side, Meredith could feel her father stepping away, realizing it was no moment to intervene. “Perhaps I’ll see you at the one I’ll be supervising soon.”

“You will,” Meredith said with confidence. It was easy enough to answer, though it made her gaze slide over to her father, where their matching green eyes met. She couldn’t discern what was behind his own, and it almost frightened her to find out, but her declaration rang so loud, Meredith didn’t back down.

“Then I’ll see what you’re made of, Miss Childs.” With those as his final words, Masters turned around and began making long strides towards the biggest building in town, across from the garage. “Master mechanic, I’ll be by later for departure. Have some Corps business to attend to in the meantime, especially with these Renegades now making their way to the coastal towns. They’ve been remarkedly dogged in a search of theirs lately.”

“We will be waiting, Commander,” her father responded with a salute. That was their final exchange, and the older man looked back at his daughter, causing her to swallow with worry. For a brief moment, his eyes seemed sad, but he soon smiled. “I expect you in the garage soon, as well, Mera. I need my best mechanic on deck.”

“Yes, sir!” she repeated, also throwing a salute to her father. He laughed and made for the garage.

Silence. And then Meredith breathed in and out, soon realizing she was alone.

The euphoria kicked in, making her grin with a maddening twist to her lips.

She’d met one of the Big Three! She’d been praised! She was even offered to take the trials, perhaps facilitated by an actual commander! Captain Clive was wrong! For the first time since Raymond had left years ago to take the trials of the Guardian Corps, himself, Meredith had more than a silly little hope.

“Yes! I’m going to become the greatest Guardian in the world!”

“Are you, now?” The question startled Meredith, and she quickly realized that she wasn’t alone at all, because standing near her, short in stature, was the unharmed antique salesman. His hand was stretched out and his expression was a mixture of amused and demanding. “Expect to do it with a half-broken sword, then?”

“Oh…sorry,” she said. Her free hand reached up to tousle her hair from behind while she held out the hand she hadn’t realized had been gripping the broken sword all this time. “Why’re you selling this piece of junk anyway? Doesn’t seem anyone would be interested in it. Not with a weaponry shop in town and the Corps having most of their blades custom-made.”

“You’d be surprised by the amount of ‘junk’ people would buy,” the man replied, his older voice warbling a bit as he looked across the goods she’d made a mess of. Frowning, Meredith moved to help him sort through them all. “That blade’s been with me since…oh, since I bought it off a back-alley hawker in the Metropolis on the cheap. Admittedly, no one wants a broken sword, but it seems to have some value given that it’s said not a single blacksmith, even those in Lacardia, can mend it.”

“Wonder why,” Meredith mumbled, but said nothing more. She finished fixing the place up before turning in the direction of the garage, her line of sight also including the base of the local Corps garrison.

“Maybe because it doesn’t seem to want to leave your hand, miss. Want a reduced price for a blade that’s chosen you?”

“Hm?” Meredith questioned, looking down. She’d yet to have let go of the sword. Meredith didn’t really need a broken sword; that was never going to help her become a Guardian. It did feel nice, however, sitting in her hand. Like a friend, whispering to her of her potential. “Guess it likes me…but I don’t need it, so no thanks. Sorry for messing up your shop, mister.”

“It’s no problem at all, miss,” the older man said, finally extending his hand and clasping the hilt. There was a second of hesitation, but eventually he pulled the blade away, the warmth leaving Meredith as if it was a tenuous connection now broken. “Hmm…perhaps I’ll move back to the Metropolis. Not very much in the way of profits here, I’m afraid. The Frostland to the north and the Desert Loop beyond that don’t give very good traffic either…”

“Mm,” Meredith mused, continuing to stare at the sword, its rusted surface glinting in the sunlight. Shaking her head of the obsessive thought, she smiled to the man. “Yeah, Lumarina’s small and tight-knit, but you’ll never find a town more worth protecting.”

“I’d imagine. The people have been very friendly,” the seller said with agreement. He walked back over, placing the hilt with the other blades in his collection. “Is that why you want to be a Guardian?”

“I guess you could say that,” Meredith told him, putting a finger to her lips, as if swearing him to a secret. “And I will. I will become a great Guardian who changes the world and makes it safer for everybody!

“But first, time for this mechanic to take care of a skyship! Later, mister! Good luck!” Offering her own wave, Meredith tossed a single glance back to the broken sword. Then she ran towards her garage.

A single thought surfaced in her head while running, though she didn’t know if it was hers or someone suggesting it out loud. All the same, it buoyed her, turning her steps into a skip as she pelted down the remaining cobblestone street.

Yes, I think you’ll make one of the best Guardians ever seen, Meredith Childs, and I don’t think anyone will doubt you in the end.