Sleep never did quite come for Ren that night. Not with the butterflies buzzing in his stomach, and the thought of having to face down the Horseman of Death that lurks in the great mountain Hilbeck. He tosses and turns, bunching the blanket up in his fists while angling his head away from uncomfortable pools on sweaty sheets. The glittering crystals outside his window doesn’t help matters either; it’s way too bright for Ren to get his beauty sleep.

Needless to say, Ren wishes he could throw the blanket over his head and go back to snoring when he is greeted by a rap of someone’s knuckles on wood in the morning the next day. At least, he thinks it’s the morning. There is no sun, no way to really tell what time it is. Do these people even use the same scale of time as they do?

The one who wakes Ren up is none other than Penny. Not like Ren expected anything else. After the thump of her fist (or fists) against the door, a shout from the other end, she prances away, if those fading footsteps are any indication. She probably went in search of one of the royal family to answer her never-ending queries about this strange world.

This strange world…This fantastical world straight out of a fantasy novel, that is. Ren is surprised that they haven’t yet encountered species other than humans yet, now that he thinks about it.

He hauls himself off the bed and dresses himself in a set of white robes from the wardrobe. They all look the same, and they all feel like silk against his skin. He smooths his hair, combing his fingers through his locks to tame them—bedhead is never the best way to greet a king or a queen. Or a prince, for that matter.

He emerges from his room into the same, cold hallway that he remembers. Well, apart from almost bumping right into Vane, who leans against the wall with his arms folded. The man hardly flinches, even as Ren stifles a sharp shriek.

“What’s the matter?” Vane asks, though there is no warmth in his tone. If anything, it sends chills down Ren’s spine.

“It’s nothing.” Ren tries to calm his pounding heart, splayed fingers across his chest. “Just…I didn’t expect you to be standing out here.”

“I was to guard your room throughout the night. You are a Luminary, after all,” Vane says. “Gridel guards Her Reverence’s.”

Her Reverence? Does he mean Penny?

“Come,” Vane says as he makes for the grand banquet hall. “Breakfast awaits you.”

That was probably the most threatening way that Ren has ever been invited to breakfast, ever. They really do have a way of telling the time here, too, if the term “breakfast” means anything. Ren makes after Vane, having to jog to keep up with his long strides.

The banquet hall is quieter, yet as cold, as Ren remembers. Rayfel, Gridel and Elvira are already chatting over soup and bread, a modest meal compared to what they had the night before. They turn to the new arrivals, and Penny waves them over. Ren takes his seat opposite her, between Rayfel and Vane.

“How was your sleep?” Penny asks.

“Great,” Ren answers, out of instinct. He looks at the plate before him. A piece of buttered bread, some cheese, some fruits. Something more…normal, than last night’s feast, at least.

Rayfel coughs. “As we were discussing with Her Reverence, we shall not send the two of you to Mount Hilbeck alone. Mother Gaia spoke in the time you were asleep, that we are to send two valiant warriors to accompany you on your journey.”

Only two? Don’t they have a whole army?

“Mother Gaia has given us Her guidance, and elected two of our finest combatants, Gridel and Vane, as your companions.”

Gridel rises from her seat and salutes them. “It is the greatest honour to serve the Luminaries.”

“I share the…sentiment,” Vane agrees.

Elvira smiles, and at her gentle command, Gridel takes her seat. Then, they eat. Ren chomps into his bread, butter and cheese, savouring every morsel, for this may be his last.

When breakfast is done, Ren and Penny are led to the armoury to pick out some weapons and armour. Greeted by the array of swords, daggers, staves, rapiers…Ren nearly staggers back, overwhelmed. It’s as if he stepped into the vault of a bank, with the way these things glimmer back at him. Like bars of gold.

“Whoa. I’ve never actually…I’ve only seen these in museums!” Penny cries.

And Mrs Russell’s shop, probably. Ren enjoys reading manga with swords, but he never thought he’d actually get to use one.

“Please, do peruse our wide selection of weapons,” Gridel says, and bows low. “I shall pick out suitable armour for you.”

With that, she walks off towards suits of armour. Ren hopes he doesn’t have to wear something as heavy as that. It looks like a hassle to take on and off. Penny skips off towards the knives section, clearly very interested in whatever they have to offer. Ren fidgets, gaze darting from one section to the next.

“But I…I don’t know how to use any of it,” Ren protests. “How do I…?”

“The weapon chooses the warrior,” Vane states, almost disdainfully. “Every weapon has a soul, and if that weapon’s soul resonates with yours, then it means that that weapon was meant for you.”

Weapons having souls? Sounded like something straight out of Harry Potter.

Ren gulps. What if he ends up with something heavy, like a mace or a pike? How’d he use it? The only times Ren hit the gym was during his P.E. lessons. Penny was the one running rounds around the school.

As Ren ruminates in his thoughts, picking up a staff and testing its weight, sudden beam of light shot against the wall blind him. He grits his teeth, whipping his head behind him and squinting at the source. Penny stands with Vane at the other end of the room, holding a dirk.

The dirk’s blade shines with iridescent rays, as radiant as the sun. Penny spins on her heels and swings the shimmering blade, bringing with it a shower of water.

“The soul of an aquarian sprite resides within,” Vane says, gesturing at the blue gemstone set in its hilt. Penny’s gaze follows his finger, eyes lighting up at the sparkling aquamarine.

“Look, Ren!” Penny waves at him with the dirk in hand. Vane ducks the haphazard slice, solemn expression not once leaving his face. “I’m holding a sword!”

“A dirk,” Vane corrects.

“A dirk,” Penny repeats and strides over to Ren. The light of the blade diminishes, till it’s nothing more than a faint pulsing aura around it. “Have you picked yours out?”

“Well…” Ren puts down the staff in his hand and turns back to the selection of staves. Would one of these suit him? From what he sees in games, these tend to be used for…casting spells. Does magic even exist in this world?

“I think you have to close your eyes and feel,” Penny says, resting her chin on his shoulder. “That’s what Vane-vane said.”

Ren isn’t sure what to feel about Penny giving Vane a nickname that…similar to his. “Feel?”

“Yeah. Like, that’s how I came across this baby,” Penny says. “My little Mira.”

“Mira? You held it for two seconds and you’ve already named it?”

Penny shrugs. “That’s her name. That’s what she told me.”

Told her, hmm? Well, if souls do reside in these hunks of wood and metal, and if Penny found hers through Vane’s method, then there’s no harm in giving it a try. Ren takes a deep breath and shuts his eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, the rush of energy hits him all at once. It leaves Ren breathless, like someone punched him in the stomach. All around him, the objects leak energy. Ribbons of energy that curl in the air, like congealed wisps of fog. Ren scarcely dares to breathe, but when he does, all he hears is a single voice. A single voice that is neither deep nor high, neither breathy nor thick. Just…a voice.

He follows the direction of the voice, weaving through the spidering strips of energy from the weapons. He steps between shelves of staves, away from bows and crossbows, and towards a single rod stashed in a forgotten corner of the armoury, between two racks.

Ren grasps the wooden rod, the rod twisted like roots in in the ground, tough and durable. It is topped by an orb of red, a ruby polished to the nines. A name comes to mind, a name that is so very unfamiliar to Ren, but it feels so right rolling off his tongue.

“Ifrit.”

With that utterance, the ruby grows brighter, glaring red bouncing off the walls. But this time, Ren needn’t shield his eyes; it’s as if the red is meant entirely for him. Like the red is speaking to him, but Ren cannot understand what it all means.

When the light dies down, Ren turns back to his companions. Penny’s jaw is slack, while Vane folds his arms, staring at the ground with a troubled frown.

“That’s so cool!” Penny cries, bounding up to him and patting Ren on the shoulder. “It’s, like, fire red and everything. Bet you can kindle a flame now.”

“We are not bringing that up,” Ren mutters, heat flooding his cheeks. Penny shall not return them to the evening of that disastrous camping trip. They were lucky they brought a lighter.

While Penny’s reaction fell pretty much within in the realm of expectation, what really bothers Ren is Vane’s response. He thought that the man would simply harrumph and turn away, or comment about Ren’s inexperience and lack of drive, but…he seems almost…

“I’m back,” Gridel declares. She strides towards them with a box in hand. Penny rushes over as Gridel places it on the ground, squatting by the box and digging through it. Gridel joins her, taking out a chainmail breastplate and a pair of gleaming gauntlets, as well as clinking boots and helmets.

“I don’t recommend helmets,” Gridel says. “It tends to block the view.”

Vane shakes his head. “But if it offers even a single more iota of protection…”

Gridel shoots him a glare, which Vane returns with equal ferocity.

“Well, personally, I think helmets are stuffy,” Penny says. “I never wear helmets when I ride bikes.”

That’s not something she should be announcing so proudly, in Ren’s opinion.

Gridel and Vane help them pick out appropriate armour. Ren ends up dressed in a light breastplate and some shoulder guards, the look complete with bronze bracers upon his wrists. Penny wears almost the same thing he does, though hers is a little more silver.

“Have you picked out your weapons?” Gridel asks, glancing from Ren to Penny. The latter raises her dirk, a wide smile on her face. Ren holds out his ruby rod for Gridel to see. She raises her brow.

“Are you sure?” she asks. Ren frowns. What’s wrong with his rod? It was the one that called out to him.

“The weapon chooses the warrior,” Vane says. He turns towards the door. “Come. Let us go.”

With that, he leaves the room. Penny tugs on Gridel’s elbow.

“What’s wrong with Ren’s rod?” she asks.

“It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, but…” Gridel bites her lip. “It’s just that…it was the weakest weapon we have here. It was meant to be scrapped later in the year.”

Ren glances down at his rod. Is it really that bad?

“Still, a rod,” Gridel mumbles. “That means we’re going to have to teach you to use magic properly.”

“Magic?” So, there is magic in this world.

“Normally, the soul of a weapon is able to secrete minute amounts of magic,” Gridel explains. “And the type of magic depends on the weapon’s soul.”

“Like, Mira’s is water, right?” Penny says.

Gridel nods. “Quite. And Ifrit is of the fire variety. However, with regards to staves and rods, they tend to choose people with a higher affinity for magic.”

“Like Ren?”

“Yes. Like His Reverence. However, magic is difficult to learn, and even more difficult to master.”

“But Ren’s smart.” Penny puts her hands on her hips, the blade of her dirk sticking out rather…menacingly, from between her grasp. Ren shrinks under Gridel’s intense gaze.

“Well, that remains to be seen,” Gridel says. “In any case, there is no time to waste. You will have to learn from example, on our quest.”

Learn from example? On their quest? Don’t they get some time to practise?

Vane reappears at the entrance. “What appears to be the hold up? The townspeople are waiting, Your Reverences.”

Of course, the townspeople would be there. They’d want to send off their saviours, after all. Just the thought of meeting their hopeful gazes and yet, failing to meet their hefty expectations, leaves Ren’s heart shuddering.

He makes sure to stay close to Penny’s side, as much as possible. It’s as if clinging to her vivacity can protect him from the pressure.

Together, the four of them head out to the main hall of the castle, where Rayfel and Elvira await. Vane and Gridel bow. Ren bows as well. Penny greets them with one of her bright smiles.

“We wish you well, young Luminaries and the Captains of the Guard,” Rayfel says. “May Gaia be with you.”

Elvira hums. “May Gaia guide you, as do Ignis, Aquarius and Sylph.”

Penny and Ren thank them for their blessings. Vane and Gridel salute the king and queen. With that, they turn to the heavy doors of the castle. The guards flanking them pull them open, and once again, wood scrapes the stone floors.

Beyond those doors is a massive crowd gathered. Waiting for them. Wanting to see the faces of their saviour.

Ren takes a breath, and his first step out of the castle of Gravelle.

*

The crowd was kept at bay, but Ren and Penny still had to squeeze past a few kids who dodged the guards. Eventually, they did make it out, without incident, of the main residential district to what Gridel calls the rabbit holes--holes made in the surface of the earth, disguised with dirt, that they may exit the colony from.

“The moment we leave,” Gridel says, as she treads the winding corridor leading to the rabbit holes, “we’re going to be at the mercy of the Horseman. Gaia’s protection does not extend aboveground.”

That makes sense, seeing as the spirit in question is of the earth affinity.

Gridel reaches a ladder at the end of the corridor. Lifting his head, Ren can only see black. Does the darkness hide the manhole cover?

“I’ll go up first and check for danger. Wait for my signal.”

Gridel scales the ladder nimbly, like she’s been doing it all her life. She reaches the top in no time and with one hand, pushes the cover aside. Dirt and dust scatter to the ground in clouds. Ren coughs.

The red of the sky, contained in a circle against the black, is the first thing that Ren sees. Gridel lifts herself out of the hole. After a few moments of waiting, with bated breaths, she calls in a hushed whisper for them to follow.

Penny puts a hand on the rung, but Ren stops her with a tug on her shoulder.

“Let me go first,” Ren says, tone coming out harsher than he wanted. He flinches and clears his throat. “In case, um, something comes up on the surface.”

Penny tilts her head, but she acquiesces. Ren straightens his posture and grabs the first rung. The braided rope is firm under his grip. With a heave, the orb of his rod knocking against the back of his head, Ren climbs.

He reaches the top, and he pulls himself out of the hole back onto the Ashen Plains, or rather, at the edge of it. Right in front of him stands Gridel, and in front of Gridel stands a mountain. A mountain so tall, so grand, like Mount Fuji. But this…it’s greyer than any mountain he’s seen.

There is absolutely no life on the mountain. No plants, no grass, no birds perched in its alcoves. Everything is just…a smooth, solid surface.

Ren turns at a grunt behind him to find Penny lifting herself out of the rabbit hole, Vane right behind her. The grass crumbles under their feet, as Vane moves to push the cover back into place and to cover it with dirt.

“Whoa.” Penny trots to Gridel’s side, staring at the entrance of a cave carved into the side of the mountain. From within, Ren hears skittering, the kind he imagines that beetles make, scuttling about on those thin legs of theirs.

Ren shivers. Maybe they should find a way around this cave, and circle the mountain…

“Mount Hilbeck is past Cavern Centurian,” Gridel says. “It’s a short mountain pass that will keep us safe from the Horseman.”

“Why?” Ren asks. “Can’t the Horseman go into the cave?”

“Well, it can,” Vane says, “but it tends to patrol from the skies. As long as we can keep out of sight, we should be able to avoid detection.”

That makes sense, but it does nothing to quell the fear rising in Ren, clawing at him with their gnarly fingers. He turns back towards the cave. He’s either facing down bugs, or a Horseman ready to chop his head off.

“Actually, why can’t we fight the Horseman out here?” Penny asks. “We just need to defeat it, right? Why go all the way to Mount Hilbeck?”

“Because its heart resides there,” Gridel says. “If we don’t kill its heart, it’s just going to keep reviving.”

Penny hums. “Alright then. Let’s go.”

She takes the first step towards the cave, seemingly unafraid of the echoing skittering. Penny was never one to be scared bugs, the complete opposite of Ren in this regard.

Still, something tells Ren that whatever they’re going to find in there is no ordinary six-legged critter.

*