(Game Time: 9,344.8 Years)

  (Date: The Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh Month — Yalta)

  Nearly four months passed in the capital of Gilgamere. In this time, Sachi Van'Heatah and his squad trained past their limits in preparation for their first mission. They had completed a few local assignments throughout their training, simple chores and some manual labor about the Scarlet Aerie, so the Privates were growing eager. Daily routines had been consistent under the lax tutelage of Officer Shelik: an hour of sprints on the beach, two hours of both combat and weapons training, alternating every day, lunch, then three hours of Lightwell strengthening exercises. It was a fixed schedule the Officer stuck to without deviating, for it was the same schedule the great Ren Holo had forced all his Privates to follow throughout his centuries-long service to the Corvus Kingdom. Now, after the General's passing, Ren's will survived in that regiment; or at least that was the excuse Officer Shelik gave his subordinates.

  No truce had been found between Sachi and Faron as the fall season came and went. Winter had arrived in full, and blood had only grown hotter between the two young soldiers. A semi-daily routine had formed where the boys would come close to biting one another's heads off over some snippy remark or one of them performing too well in training. Victoria had tried to jump in many times to talk their issues over, but no matter how many times she interjected the stubborn boys remained determined to keep fighting. Perhaps it was Fate's will the childhood foes would be forced into their unwanted alliance, which was ironic considering Victoria actually thought they had a lot in common.

  Sachi and Faron both grew up in the Green Edge, only an hour's walk between their homes. Both boys were incredibly hardworking too, and their Radiances powerful given how young they still were. But most of all, she noticed they both seemed Hel-bent on driving her into a manic state before they had a chance to set out on their first mission.

  It was entertaining at first to see how the two boys would bicker, but now the daily duels and constant barking was enough to drive Victoria mad. She couldn't bring them anywhere without Sachi starting a fight or Faron calling the half-Elv some slur or another. The day before their first mission felt like any other from her perspective, with the pair tussling over who had been the better shot with a pistol. Thankfully, neither boy was armed anymore.

  Moments ago, Victoria had embarrassed the boys with her accuracy, for she had been shooting with her father since toddlerhood. Her hands and eyes were trained how to shoot properly, and unlike the two country boys, she was able to adapt and adjust to the recoil of the oversized revolver they'd been training with that day. Sachi's father never owned a gun, and it was obvious that Faron hadn't shot before joining up either. After all, firearms weren't cheap anywhere in their Kingdom, most considering them to be a luxury used by Mortals with weak Radiances. But still, no matter how inaccurate they both were, one of them had to be the winner. Victoria rubbed at her temples as they walked away from the shooting range, listening on with impatience as the boys argued behind her over who was closer to hitting the target.

  "Your shots were aimed at a whole other city!" Sachi exclaimed.

  "That's cowshit and you know it!" barked Faron through his teeth. "I clipped the target every time. You were the one aimin' at clouds today."

  "Was not!" Sachi had to stand on his tip toes to get on eye level with Faron. "You're the poorest shot in our squad! Just admit it and stop lying to yourself."

  "No! You are!" Faron glared at his squad mate with the veins around his mohawk popping out. "Just like how I beat ya in dueling!"

  "I told you already, I'm best with knives. I had never trained with longswords." The half-Elv grit his teeth as he glared into Faron's dark eyes.

  "Yeah, yeah. Well, how 'bout you, Ramses? Which of us won?" Faron turned his gaze away from Sachi with a reluctant roll of his eyes. "After all, you shoot better than any of us."

  Victoria turned over her shoulder as they walked. "I don't care! I just need you two to focus up and get along, y'know!"

  The boys turned away from one another with folded arms, speaking in unison.

  "Never gonna happen."

  Officer Shelik ignored his squad's bickering, as he usually did, and continued to lead his pack of newbies down to the beachfront for Lightwell training. The three Privates had all made great strides over the last few months, but their training wasn't over yet. A dark shadow loomed on the horizon, a shroud of unease in the form of their first mission, and Officer Shelik wasn't about to ruin his chances at being promoted to a desk job by bringing some underprepared brats out into the field. No. He would bring warriors at his side, no matter how bothersome it may have been to oversee their training.

  Once on the beachfront, business was as usual. Victoria and Faron did their best to hold their flames, and Sachi took on the brunt of their abuse. The half-Elv's skills as a punching bag had increased immensely as the last three weeks of training grew more intense. Now he didn't flinch from the pain of heat. Yet the boy was still no more than a wannabe-warrior in Officer Shelik's eyes, but it was impressive to watch the young man's regenerative skills improve so quickly. Victoria blew flames at him from thirty paces away, her breath now lasting just over a hundred seconds on a full Lightwell. On cue, Sachi healed from the burns, barely showing any hint of exertion on his face. Once the Duchess's flames subsided, his own emerald blaze mended the seared flesh back to an unburned state.

  He smirked at his partner as the last of her burns boiled back to his naturally dark skin tone. "Nice one, Victoria! Your flames get stronger every week!" He couldn't help but let a proud micro-expression slip, noticing to himself how the last blast barely caused a twitch of discomfort or grimace of pain.

  Victoria wiped off her lips with a forearm and chuckled at her partner. "Oh, please! I've got a long way to go—just quit getting more durable! It's hard to keep up."

  Sachi cupped a hand over his mouth to make sure she would hear him. "I'll try! But burning alive somehow keeps getting easier!"

  Victoria couldn't help but furrow her brow upon hearing Sachi's relaxed tone. "Are you yawning? I'm not joking! You're not as invincible as you think you are!"

  "I know! I know! It's just weird. Your Radiance hurts a bit less every day." He looked down at one of his hands, now completely healed from his friend's fiery attack.

  Victoria glanced over her shoulder to spy on Faron, who had two fists burning brightly at his sides. "Hmm... And what about him?"

  Sachi shrugged. "He's still stronger than me. I'll have to train twice as hard if I'm ever gonna beat him."

  The Duchess rolled her eyes at Sachi's thick-headedness. "I've been telling you... you don't need to beat him. If you learn to ignore him, you win."

  "I don't know about all that..." Sachi stared on at his nemesis for a few moments. "I think it will only be over if I beat him fair and square."

  Victoria sighed, tired of the same conversations. They would head south for their first mission tomorrow morning, and there was no time for these petty squabbles once they left. Victoria still had a final idea though, one she knew Sachi would hate.

  "What are you doing for dinner tonight?" The Duchess put a kind smile on to avoid letting Sachi in on her wicked plan.

  Sachi's green eyes lit up at the idea of cuisine from the Red Charles. "I have no plans at all! Can I please eat at yours? I'll ditch Dallis!"

  "I think it would be nice if we all ate together." Victoria delivered the proposal with that same kind smile. "Y'know... like a last supper sort of deal before we fly out in the morning." She turned away from Sachi to stare at Faron. "You can come, but only if you can make it through one dinner with him."

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  Sachi sighed, knowing Victoria had already made up her mind about this. "I've been dealing with him for so long. What's another dinner?" He made himself smile for Victoria, but beneath the surface he was wailing in rage. The idea was nice, but he knew the coming night would be filled with ribbings over his big ears, a few embarrassing childhood stories, and a poorly-told history lesson designed to riddle him with guilt. He had been successful in avoiding Faron by any means outside of training and missions. It was simply too infuriating trying to find mutual ground to agree on. However, saying no to Victoria wasn't Sachi's strong suit. Her father's cooking was the best thing he'd ever eaten, and she had a habit of not taking "no" for an answer. So, Sachi found himself being dragged to the Red Charles after showering.

  As the Privates of Officer Shelik's squad marched to the Red Charles, Sachi found his fears coming to life.

  "Long Ears..." called Faron for the eighth time since they left the barracks. "I'm surprised you'd be willing to dine with the likes of Humankind. I'm sure your Elf-y ancestors are rolling in their graves over this."

  Sachi shrugged off the remark with little effort. "I eat with Humans every day, Faron. Just look around the mess hall next time you stop in. You should really cut this out when we get to Victoria's home."

  Eventually the squad arrived at the Duchess's alehouse home on Patriot Way, trying their best to conceal grumbling bellies that could be heard halfway down the block. Upon walking in, the squad was met with the sour aroma of overpriced liquor, a scent that stuck around the Red Charles year-round. Victoria ran past a crowd of wealthy drunkards to hug her mother, and although her father remained unseen, his booming voice rang out from the kitchen to welcome his daughter home.

  The alehouse was more crowded today than it was last time Sachi had stepped inside; unusually crowded. No tables or booths were available, for Officers and aristocrats had occupied all the seats. Instead, Sachi's squad was forced to sit up at the bar, huddled together to stay safe from any elder drunks feeling nosy.

  The food was divine as always, pork chops cooked to absolute perfection. Sachi found himself fighting off tears again, for food this good was a privilege he didn't feel deserving of. However, a quick nudge to the shoulder from Victoria was enough to bring him back to his senses. She stared at him with a teasing grin.

  "I can't wait to see your brother's face when he eats my father's cooking." Victoria wore a proud smile as she spoke. "I bet he'll get all weepy like you."

  Sachi chuckled. "Yeah. I'd bet so too. Mira loves food even more than I do."

  Faron frowned at the mention of Mira. He leaned in, asking, "Why do ya still act like that freak is your real brother?"

  "Faron!" Victoria looked disgusted at her squad mate's remark.

  "What?" Faron went on. "It's true. That zippy fucker beat the piss outta half of our academy, including me—many times. He did anything to protect his fake brother." His eyes fell on the half-Elv. "Am I wrong?"

  Sachi huffed out a painful sigh. "He's right. Mira used to get into a lot of fights. But that was a long time ago. Mira hasn't fought anyone since we left the Meadows. He promised me he wouldn't."

  Faron rolled his eyes. "Well, what do ya think he's doing on his secret mission for the Hero? He ain't pickin' daisies."

  Sachi paused at the idea of Helen forcing Mira into combat. "I... I don't know what he's doing. Helen's his Captain."

  "Well..." Victoria chimed in nervously. "Have you seen him at all?"

  "No." Sachi waved away his anxiety over the topic. "It doesn't matter! Helen will protect him."

  "Pfft!" Faron blew air between his lips rudely. "As if that monster needs anyone looking out for him." The large boy crossed his arms, gazing around the bar at the many patrons. "She should be focusing on the weak recruits—kids who need real training from someone like her."

  "Faron." Scolded Victoria again with a sharp tone. "You mustn't speak like that about Captain ?thena. You never know who's listening. If Helen wants to train Mira, surely, she must have her reasons, y'know?"

  "Well..." Sachi scratched at his neck, finally taking a break from his meal. "Mira can be a handful. It's probably best to have someone strong like Helen watching over him." He turned his gaze to Faron. "But I don't think it's right either. I know better than anyone that my brother is the last person in need of more training." He made sure to give Mira's title the emphasis it deserved.

  Faron gave a doubtful stare to Sachi. "And what would you-?"

  "Captain ?thena's place should be with the people of the Green Edge. We're the ones who need her most." Sachi spoke with confidence in his tone, his full belly fueling every coming word. "But someone has to keep an eye on Mira, right?" His gaze narrowed so his next words stung with more venom. "It's like you said, he's a monster..."

  Victoria seemed surprised by Sachi's calm tone. "Are you really okay with that? Even I'm concerned about Mira's safety working alongside someone as powerful as Helen."

  "Mira is... different. He's..." Sachi looked around to make sure no one was listening in on their conversation. "Look, Mira's a fool, 'kay? But I don't know anyone stronger. So, if Helen's let Mira loose in the world... I just pray no one rude gets in his way."

  "How'd he even get that strong?" pushed Victoria, remembering the boy's speedy Radiant Art at the exams. "He said he was part Titan when we all met at the exams, but he's such a small boy... I still have a hard time believing it."

  "He's just weird like that." A smirk took Sachi's face as he spoke of his brother. "Ever since we found him, Mira's been a wild child. He's not afraid of much, and his Light control is better than ours by years."

  Faron cut back into the conversation with malice in his tone. "I bet he's killed a few dozen by now. That freak's probably using his lightning to-"

  "That's enough!" Victoria cut off Faron sharply. "Mira is a soldier—like us. He's doing his duty, no matter what that may be." Her grey eyes were cold, dead set on the brown of Faron's. "You should be mindful of that when we leave for our first mission tomorrow. You may have to take a life as well."

  Sachi put an open hand out to try to quiet down his squad-mates. "Come on, you two. Let's just enjoy the food." He glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping on them, but no one seemed to mind the children at the bar. It was clear another topic was in the air. Sachi was relieved, for he didn't want any strangers to hear about his brother. He lowered his tone to a near whisper. "No matter what Mira is doing, and no matter where he is, he's gonna come home safe. That's all I know for certain."

  Suddenly, a holler came from the other side of the room. "Fuck the Green Edge! So, some Elvish hicks were killed, why should that concern us? Our capital is what needs protecting! That's why the Royal Military serves us!"

  Sachi wasn't sure what the drunk was referring to, but hearing the rude words left him feeling rather offended. Faron felt the same way, for hearing someone speak ill of his hometown boiled the young man's blood. The oversized teen stepped off his stool and looked down over most of the nobles in the room by at least five inches. He was about to step through them all and confront the drunken man, but Victoria was quick to grab the mohawked Private by the arm.

  "Stop that. Not here." Her gaze was aggressive yet full of sympathy.

  "Are ya kiddin' me, Ramses?" Faron shook her hand off with a shrug. "I didn't come all the way here just to be insulted by him—by you!"

  "You have no idea who he is!" Victoria scolded. "For all you know he's some high-ranked Officer or Duke. You could ruin everything for us if he ends up being someone important, and I won't have that. I've got big dreams in the Royal Military, and I won't have you spoiling them on the eve of my first mission." She looked back to Sachi and felt a tad embarrassed by her tone. "I mean... our first mission."

  Sachi turned on his stool to meet Faron's eyes. "She's right. Only bigwigs drink here. The only reason we're allowed in is because Victoria's parents are owners. We should just finish our food and head back to the barracks. We need to get some sleep." His gaze slipped to glare at the shouting man. "We can't do anything about him. The best-"

  "I won't be lectured to by a fuckin' Elf!" Faron stated boldly. "You're all monsters too—worse than that blue-headed freak." Before his words finished booming through the Red Charles, he was out the door, leaving half a plate's worth of food sitting on the bar by his empty seat. Ears perked up in the room at that comment, and a few vicious eyes fell on Sachi, but no one was interested enough to stand or call over. After an awkward silence, the Red Charles once again became filled with the hum of rumors from across the Kingdom, an inaudible clamor from every table in the alehouse.

  Victoria let out a long sigh and turned back to the bar with a frown. "That honestly went better than I thought it would."

  Sachi shrugged and sighed as well. "At least he didn't punch me this time."

  The pair finished their meals then leaned their heads on the bar, thoroughly satisfied by Lord Ramses' culinary wonders. Neither wanted to move, but dusk was approaching fast, and both had to be up early for their first mission.

  "What do you think we'll be doing tomorrow?" Victoria smiled with her eyes closed, her head's full weight on the bar.

  "Hopefully something easy," chuckled Sachi.

  "Ugh!" Victoria groaned in disgust. "That sounds so boring. I hope Officer Shelik gives us a mission worth our time." Her voice had a confident tone even when tired. Sachi wanted to stay and talk with her longer, but he needed to rest as well.

  The young man made it back to the barracks as darkness finished stealing the sky. He was surprised to find his bunkroom quiet for a change, and even more surprised to see that he was the last Private to step into their room. On every bunk other than his own lay sleeping bodies; rookie doing their best to stave off the worst of their imagination before leaving for a first mission. Sachi snuck to his bunk as quietly as a roach and rested his eyes.

  He could hear Dallis snoring below him. It seemed his gleeful bunkmate was the only one unworried about what the next day would bring. Sachi tucked himself in and took one last look out a window close to his bunk to take in Gilgamere's lights. The city always glowed in a way the East Meadow never did. At last, he rolled over and slammed his eyes closed.

  Finally, my story starts tomorrow.

  (To Be Continued...)

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