Chapter 004

Cherished

In truth, Leora hadn’t a clue as to what she should expect.

The last she’d seen of him was around almost a year ago yet, to her, it felt like an eternity. Would he be the same knuckle-headed dunce as she remembered? People change over time, after all. While at first anticipation accompanied by excitement flourished within her, throughout the course of her long journey to Ponsetta City, what eventually replaced those emotions was fear and anxiety. Sitting in her passenger seat, the question which commonly inhabited her consciousness re-emerged.

How has Rune developed?

Once the locomotive opened and its sharp whistle relayed across the station, Leora took her first hesitant step in a city she’d never visited. A distinct odor of smoke and mildew wafted in the air. Rays of the sun which glistened through the glass roof above touched her creamy skin. And a gust of wind made her honey hair tied into a ponytail frolic. The entire station was filled to the brim with commotion and nameless strangers. But it was inside this collage of rambling unknowns her gaze fixated on the person she’d come to see. And at the same time, he returned with a stare of his own, swiftly followed by a smile and a wave of his hand.

Before she knew it, a tidal wave of nostalgia saw fit to ambush her. As if her body reacted on her own, the girl sprung from the train’s exit, expertly and swiftly navigated through the moving forest of people, and ran straight for him. Waving her hand in the air, she yelled the name of her friend for the world to hear.

Robbing him of the chance to reply, like a cat, Leora pounced into his arms. Miraculously, her unexpected greeting didn’t result in them tumbling to the floor like in the past. Instead, Rune managed to catch her whilst reaffirming a solid stance. However, this did not mean he maintained his composure entirely. As soon as she embraced with her abrupt hug attack, flustered astonishment took up residence on his face.

“Nice to see you again, Rune!” she cheered.

“L...Likewise,” he stuttered. “It’s been quite a while, hasn’t it?”

“I’ll say! You look...” Her words refused to leave her mouth. Taking a long look at him from top to bottom, it was evident that he indeed changed. Everything from his appearance to his demeanor. Even underneath the clothing he wore she could tell he wasn’t the same scrawny child she remembered. Although, she couldn’t help but laugh at how flustered he got from just a mere hug. He might have matured on the outside but on the inside, she reckoned a piece of his innocence lingered.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking and before you yell at me, I tried my best to stay clear of unnecessary fights.” It was then Leora took notice of the collection of tears and sears decorating the right sleeve of his red jacket. Additionally, the white glove which used to cover his scorched hand had completely disintegrated. “Regardless, things just sort of happened...”

Leora admitted a sigh. “Honestly, you’re hopeless. However, I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised. This isn’t the first gift of mine you’ve somehow managed to destroy.”

“Give me a break! It’s not like I was trying it to get it thrashed!”

“Excuses, excuses. I guess this means you’ll have to reimburse me in some way, right? Oh! How about you buy me some new medical supplies for my birthday next month!”

“M...Medical supplies?”

“Yeah, they’re pretty expensive but you can handle the expenses, can’t you?”

“With a combat mage’s salary?! Like hell, I can!”

Holding her hand to her mouth, more of her laughter erupted. “Relax, Rune! I’m just kidding! Goodness, you’re still so easy to tease!”

“And you’re still an expert at getting under my skin...”

“You’re not angry, are you?” she snickered, moving closer to him. “Today’s supposed to be sweet, not sour. Let’s make the most out of the time we have!”

“...Fine,” he pouted back.

“Hey, Master. Your cheeks are getting awfully red. You’re not coming down with a fever, are you?!”

“What?! No, they aren’t! Get your eyes checked!”

Leora knew not of who this stranger was. However, considering the military uniform he was wearing as well as the tome strapped to his side, she naturally assumed him to be an acquaintance of Rune’s. With a smile, Leora extended a hand to him. “Hi, my name’s Leora Flores. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

“The pleasure’s all mine, miss!” he grinned, accepting her handshake. “You can call me Daze Springs! Or Private Springs! Or whatever you wish! I’m guessing you're an old friend of his.”

“So he claims," she replied ambushing an embarrassed Rune with a subtle leer. "We grew up in the same neighborhood so we’ve known each other for quite a long time.”

“Childhood friends, huh? Well, while you might be Master Rune’s best friend from his hometown, I happen to be his bestest friend in the military! Isn’t that right, Master?!”

“If it helps you sleep at night," Rune groaned.

Leora chuckled. “Really? Well, it’s reassuring to know Rune has such a nice friend to keep him company.”

“Please, don’t encourage him..."

“Anyways, what brings you to Ponsetta, miss?”

“I needed to go to a nearby town in order to fetch some supplies for my uncle’s workshop. Since I was passing through, Rune and I decided we would use the opportunity to catch up with each other. Speaking of which,” Leora pulled out a white envelope from her pocket and handed it to Rune. “A gift from the Flores Family! Try not to burn this one too, it’s special.”

“Special?" Daze repeated. "Wait, today’s not your birthday, is it?!”

Rune frowned. “No, it isn’t...”

“Phew, what a relief. Then, what’s with the gift?”

“I’m afraid it’s a personal matter,” he replied, tucking the envelope into the pocket of his jacket. “In other words, it’s none of your business.”

“How cruel?! And after I went through the trouble of bailing you out from that rogue mage! Why must you treat your apprentice so roughly?!”

“You’re not my apprentice!”

“Fine, if you’re so intent on keeping me in the dark, let’s cut the chit-chat and give your old buddy a tour of the town!”

“Actually, Daze,” interrupted Rune, tugging him closer by the rim of his collar. “I’ve got a super-secret mission just for you.”

“R...Really?!”

Leora rolled her eyes. Nice to see he hasn’t gotten any better at lying, she thought.

She could only frown as she observed her friend pretend to check their surroundings, rapidly shifting his head from side to side. “The mage you defeated earlier,” Rune continued in a muted tone. “I have reason to believe an accomplice of his might be lurking around Ponsetta as we speak. Seeking vengeance, no doubt. If they aren’t taken care of, who knows what might happen? Nothing good, I can imagine.”

“You’re right! I’d expect no less from a lowlife.”

“Now normally, I’d look into it myself but, as you can see, I kinda have my hands full.” Clenching a quivering fist and magnetizing his false look of grief to the ground, Rune muttered, “Poor Leora went through great lengths just to see me today. It’d be selfish to leave her here while I go off crime-fighting, don’t you think?”

“Say no more, Master. I understand what I must do.” His tome became engulfed in blue, magical energy and levitated beside its user, rapidly turning to the page of the spell Daze desired most. “You can leave this to me! Just focus on enjoying your day!” Leora stepped back as she felt his magical pressure spike as a blistering white aura enveloped him. Glancing at her with his pair of glowing eyes, he chuckled, “Once again, it’s been a real treat to meet you, Miss Leora!”

Leora gifted him with a pliable, partially bewildered, smile. “It was, uh, nice meeting you as well...Daze.”

“Oh, and Master! I promise not to breathe a word of this to Fellman!”

“Appreciate it, buddy. Now off you go.”

His coating of white magic intensified. Sparks of wild lightning coalesced on his boots. Staring at the ceiling, he shouted, “Fulmeno Tela!” before disappearing in a flash of blinding light. In spite of the gusts of wind ejecting into her face, Leora stiffened like a statue, her jaw practically dropping to the floor. The practice of magic was commonplace in their country and yet, whenever she saw it being used, she couldn’t help but fall under a spell of amazement.

“Man, thought he’d never leave.”

Leora giggled. “So, you’re his master, are you?”

“Do me a favor and forget you heard that,” the mage grumbled. “In any case, since Daze is on his wild goose chase, how about I give you a grand tour?”

Her amazement eventually died. In its place blossomed a pure-hearted smile. “Lead the way.”

Ponsetta wasn’t the largest city in Esteras but it certainly wasn’t the smallest either.

It was comprised of five major districts, two of which happened to be residential, and composed primarily of apartment complexes and hotels. Meanwhile, residing in the northern regions of the city were a plethora of shops, marketplaces, restaurants, museums, and libraries. For your typical tourist or absent-minded traveler, it was rather easy to get lost. Much to his shame, it took until Rune’s third month of working in Mage Bracket 9 in order for him to properly memorize the entire layout of the city. Now he knew it like the back of his hand. There was no landmark he couldn’t find, no street he hadn’t already seen. In short, he was more than qualified to be Leora’s tour guide.

He guided her to a town square located at the heart of Ponsetta. An expansive area enclosed in a ring of open-air shops, souvenir stores, and restaurants. Like an infant, Leora became enamored by everything, Rune smirking as she asked a market patron the price of the baked sweets he kept on display. While she did occasionally leave their hometown of Primrose, he was aware she spent most of her time helping her uncle with his shop in addition to finishing her studies. So whenever she acquired the opportunity to abandon her responsibilities, even if only for a day, it was almost as if she reverted back to the starry-eyed child of her youth.

“Delicious!” she exclaimed, returning with a pair of red-colored ice cream cones. She handed him one, bolstering a grin, and said, “As a combat mage, I know you’re probably trying to avoid eating junk foods but you can make an exception today, can’t you?”

“Oh, please,” he sighed, grabbing the frosted treat. “One little ice cream cone never hurt anybody.” Swiping his tongue up the dessert’s head, a barrage of syrupy, strawberry flavor glazed his taste buds. In the place of his distinguished, annoyed frown flowered a malleable smile.

“Pretty good, right?”

“Yeah...I’ll admit it,” he replied, taking another lick. “But they’ve got nothing on dragon puffs.”

“I was expecting you to say that...”

After leaving the crowded town square, the duo headed northward where more of Ponsetta’s famous sites and attractions awaited them. Although, it was less of Rune leading the way and more of him following the tail of his excited friend. They traveled to Ponsetta’s museum, where Rune was forced to wait outside as Leora gawked at its exhibits for nearly an hour. Whenever they’d visit a souvenir shop she couldn't resist the temptation of purchasing a new trinket and shoving it inside of her handbag. And once she laid her brown eyes upon a boisterous ensemble of street performers, Rune found himself gawking the prancing parade for almost an hour, Leora giddily dancing alongside performer and civilian alike.

By the time Ponsetta’s skies became littered with streaks of burning clouds, he was pretty confident he’d shown her pretty much everything the city had to offer. Sneaking a glance at the girl walking beside him, he took note of the pleasant smile comfortably resting on her face.

“You’ve enjoyed yourself, I take it?”

“Hmm? Oh, yes! Quite a lot, actually. I really needed a vacation! And Ponsetta's so lovely. Kinda makes me want to move out here with you.”

Rune’s heart short-circuited as his cheeks turned crimson. “M...M...Move out here...with me?”

“If only it were possible. Until my uncle can find someone to permanently replace me at the shop, I won’t be going anywhere, I’m afraid.”

“Oh, r...right,” Rune muttered, desperately attempting to camouflage the disappointment in his tone. “So, what have you been up to, as of late?”

“Well, Primrose is the same as ever, and other than helping Uncle, I’ve mainly focused on practicing and perfecting my recovery magic. Not to boast, but I’ve gotten quite good at it!”

“Have you now?”

“You bet! But enough about me. How’s military life treating you? You’re not causing your superiors too much trouble, are you?”

“Me? Causing trouble? As if! I complete all my assignments to the best of my abilities...even if not everyone appreciates me for it.”

“I wonder why? Maybe this has something to do with you not following orders properly? Or perhaps, this is because you can’t control that fiery temper of yours?”

Rune laughed. “It’s almost scary how well you know me!”

As they turned the corner at the end of the sidewalk a chilling breeze rolled over the city. Street lights illuminated. Clerks hastily closed their markets and shops. Pairs of military officers casually patrolled the area, marching in unison with each other. Like most of its residents, Ponsetta was preparing to retire for the night.

Rune gazed at the sky. “We should probably get back to the station, huh? Wouldn’t want you missing your train.”

“I suppose,” she answered, fidgeting with her ponytail.

“Something wrong?”

“No, it’s just...recently, I’ve been wondering if you’ve had any luck in tracking down...you know who.” Her question struck him from behind. Out of all the inquiries he was expecting her to have, that certainly wasn’t one of them. Rune shoved his hands into his pockets and emitted a dry sigh. “Sorry,” Leora apologized, lowering her chin. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine,” he answered. “Every time I think I’m close I always end up at a dead end. Recently, I took down a group of criminals calling themselves the Pygmy Vypers. I thought they’d provide me with at least some answers but...anyway, it doesn’t matter. I’ll get to the bottom of this eventually. I don’t care how long it takes. I’ll acquire justice even if it kills me!” he grunted, clenching his fists. “Maybe then the world will realize not every Ransford is a monster.”

“Man, that’s quite the speech you gave!” bellowed a familiar and annoying voice. Marching towards them was the one person Rune was hoping Leora would never have to meet. Per usual, he was accompanied by his posse of brainless yes-men. “So this is why you called off work today, hm? How’d a loser like you manage to bag a beauty like her?”

Rune attacked him with a glare. “Lukas, for your sake, I’d turn around and walk away.”

“What’s with the hostility, Ransford? I just asked a question. No need to get so aggressive.”

“Leave,” Rune repeated, stepping closer to the giant. “Leave now.”

“Or what? You gonna make me?” Though his foul gaze originally remained glued to the fire mage, they quickly shifted. “You know, miss, it certainly isn’t wise to be hanging out with this guy. His hands aren’t clean of blood. This bastard’s taken the lives of innocents. Why, one might even call him a murderer. And need I remind you of who his father is?”

“Shut it!” Rune shouted.

“Oh, but it's true! And you know it, don’t you? Hell, everyone does!” he roared as his friends snickered like infants behind him. “It’s a real miracle you got accepted into the military. If it weren’t for that magic of yours, they'd have thrown you out on the streets a long time ago, I reckon! Wouldn’t that be a sight to see?”

All at once, Rune’s emotions he struggled to keep dormant exploded. He longed to keep his composure. Longed not to fall for Lukas’ obvious goating. Though, to have an arrogant meathead like him suddenly show up out of nowhere and drive a wrench in an otherwise enjoyable day, why, it was enough to make Rune want to blast him with fire. In fact, he was fairly certain he would’ve done just that had it not been for her interference.

Stepping in front of him, she swung her hand forward and struck the chuckling giant on his face. The sound of her swift slap reverberated throughout the drowsy city. In an instant, the combined laughter of Lukas and his friends ceased. Astonished, Rune stared at the back of his friend and then at Lukas, a red imprint of Leora’s hand smeared onto his left cheek. At first, his bewilderment lingered. Then, emerged a shower of rage. Though, not from Lukas himself but rather his three or so friends who came to his defense beside him.

“Who the hell do you think you are, you bitch!” one of them shouted.

“Lukas was only trying to help!” screamed another.

“Don’t you know assaulting an officer is a crime?! We should throw your ass in prison!”

“Be quiet!!” Leora shouted, overpowering their sniveling comments. “You think insulting my friend is helping me?! Has the military really enlisted such braindead morons into their ranks?! No wonder the country’s falling to shambles!”

“He’s practically a criminal,” Lukas finally said, pushing his friends out the way. “Do you honestly expect me to treat him with civility?”

“A criminal, huh?” With a grimace, Leora grabbed a handful of Lukas’ uniform and pulled him closer. So close, in fact, the tips of their noses nearly kissed. “Don’t make me laugh. Out of everyone in this city I know Rune the best. He’s not a threat and he certainly isn’t a murderer. Instead of superficially ridiculing him for a crime he didn’t commit, you should be fighting alongside him to keep the people of Esteras safe. You lot are combat mages, aren’t you? So start acting like it.”

Rune had always known Leora to be someone who, like him, wouldn’t let someone walk all over them. Despite her otherwise pure-hearted and kind personality, when pushed enough, she wouldn’t hesitate to speak her mind. Of course, the person whom she was chewing out was a magic-user. As amusing as it was to watch the band of imbeciles get flustered by her shouting, if he didn’t defuse the conversation quickly, things could potentially take a turn for the worse.

However, before he’d the chance to say or do anything, Lukas smirked, “Come on, boys. We’re leaving.” As he passed by Leora, he regarded Rune with a scowl and told him, “I can see why you two would get along. You’re a murderer and she’s a lawbreaker. A match made in heaven if I’ve ever seen one. But you should probably advise your little girlfriend to refrain from assaulting any more military personnel. Not everyone is as well-mannered as I am.”

Rune eyed the group as they marched down the darkened path, only releasing a sigh when they finally disappeared. “Sorry about them. They’re not known for being...”

“Jeez!” Leora grunted, facing him with a frown. “If those are the kinds of nimrods you’re forced to work with I’m surprised you haven’t already resigned!”

“He's a difficult one, that Lukas. Still, you probably shouldn't have done that. I'm screwed if they report me.”

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, clasping her hands together. “Still, I hate how ignorant some people can be! What gives them the right to talk about...”

“It’s fine, Leora. I’m fine.” Ignoring her astonished expression, Rune silently advanced, loosened eyelids hanging to the floor. “Your train should be here soon. Let’s go.”

Leora exhaled. “Okay...”