Winter 4987, 24 Ginmoth
Shon rolled his shoulders and popped his neck before resuming his stance. He was shirtless despite the cold. More than his affinity for winter, the choice was attributed to sweat soaking his tunic. Master Daunas carried Shon’s sword at the edge of the sparring ring, circling to stay in range of the Squires while Ryuuko twittered encouragement from his shoulder. Though if to Shon or his opponents, he wasn't sure. Across from him, Rerves stood ready, searching Shon’s stance for weakness. There was none.
It was the last day before the Winter Solstice break and the Squires' last chance to defeat Shon in hand-to-hand combat. In addition to cold protection spells, Master Daunas had allowed them to challenge Shon in a bear-pit-style tournament, to give them a better chance. As he beat each Squire one on one, they would return to the back of the line of challengers to try again. He had already gone through the line twice and had taken his tunic off five fights ago.
Shon's stamina was finally starting to falter, and Rerves was a good bit larger than he was. Shon had grown a few inches since the previous winter, and though his chest and shoulders had filled out considerably, he wasn't the only one, and Rerves was still five inches taller and thicker all around.
Rerves bobbed up and down on the balls of his feet and lunged with a straight right punch. Shon stepped inside the punch and struck Rerves on the side of the jaw with the heel of his palm. Slipping his leg behind the larger boy as he tried to recover from the hit, sending him to the ground.
Rerves rolled away and scrambled to his feet, rubbing the back of his hand against his face and cracking his jaw. Shon felt little guilt at the hit. He was tired but wasn’t about to give in without one of them earning the win. He returned to his fighting stance, and Rerves gave a nervous laugh. He tried circling, looking for some kind of opening that Shon wasn’t going to give him. Shon turned as Rerves circled, keeping his eyes on his opponent and blocking out the shouting from the sidelines.
“You got this, Rerves!”
"He can't last much longer!"
“Get him to the ground! He’s not as good at grappling!” That was true, but the task would be easier said than done.
“Come on, Rerves, use that big body of yours!” Shon looked away.
Lily was standing on the sidelines, grinning evilly and cupping her hands around her mouth as she shouted.
Rerves took advantage of the distraction and barreled into Shon like a bull, knocking the wind out of him as they hit the ground hard. With stars flashing before his eyes, it took Shon a moment to recover, and Rerves was already trying to get him in a hold that could end the match. With a growl, Shon twisted free -cold- sweat-covered skin helping him slide out of Rerves grip. Latching onto Rerves' grasping arm, Shon looped his legs on either side and over Rerves' chest, arching his back and holding Rerves' fist tight, hyperextending the elbow.
The bigger Squire smacked the ground with his free hand and a cry of pain, “Match, match!” Letting go quickly, Shon rolled backward onto his feet but then dropped to one knee to catch his breath as the other Squires crowded around Lily, crying out their greetings.
She was smiling ear to ear, and Shon tried to memorize every detail. She wore a simple tunic and slacks soaked to the knee from the snow, her golden hair was done up in a loose bun held in place by a set of lacquered sticks tipped with sapphire stones that matched the deep blue of her eyes. She had a dark wood quarterstaff leaning in the fold of her right shoulder as she hugged each of the Squires, briefly, while Ryuuko fluttered around her, trying to find room to take its turn to cuddle into her cheek.
Master Daunas approached Shon, still kneeling in the ring, “You done, boy?”
“Yeah…” Shon breathed, then swallowed and corrected himself, “Yes, sir,”
“Well, take your turn to greet the girl, then go get yourself cleaned up.” the Weaponmaster smiled and smacked Shon on the back as he stood, making him lunge forward.
Shon ran his fingers through his hair -it needed to be cut again- and looked up to see Lily moving towards him, her slitted eyes sparkling as she smiled wickedly. It looked like he wasn't the only one who'd filled out over the year. Her hips swayed as she walked, and -with her hands behind her back- her tunic stretched tight over her chest.
“It's not fair to beat up on amateurs.” she teased.
“All's fair in love and war.” he countered. She beamed at him, and he couldn't help but give one of his small smiles in return. This must be why she didn't send a letter last time. He convinced himself that the warmth in his chest was just relief that nothing was wrong, but then Master Daunas thrust Shon's sword between them, breaking their eye contact.
“Get a shower, Squire,” he ordered, a snicker clear in his voice. Shon blushed, taking the sword, its pommel swirling dark blue and purple. Lily giggled, turning away from him and back to the other Squires who swarmed her again. There would be plenty of time to talk to her at dinner.
***
Home in the central Talon, Shaloon ripped her mirror from the wall and threw it across the room, her arms imbued with magical strength and a scream of fury. Gone! She had been gone! And with no more samples, there was no way they could find the Firewyrm magically.
“So,” Tolinar asked with a grin from the door, “Does this mean we get to explore my research now?” Shaloon screamed again, summoning her sword. Her partner hurried from the room, closing the door behind him.
She breathed through clenched teeth and, with another scream, stabbed through the letter laying open and the table beneath. It, too, was useless. The only thing left in the Firewyrm's room, it only said that she'd decided to travel, to live outside of any tower and its accompanying rules. It asked the recipient to inform her other contacts about her decision, so they wouldn't worry, but gave no hint about where she'd gone.
She need only live… a voice spoke in her mind. Shaloon spun, her sword dissolving into smoke. My children have their Chosen, the voice sounded both proud and disgusted at once.
Shaloon approached the little pseudodragon sprawled on her bed. Morndancer's pseudodragon. It wasn't a true specimen, only a minor spirit given the form of a dragon. To be used as a conduit for their Master to communicate with them. “What should we do, Master?” she asked in a whine. But the little messenger didn’t answer. It merely purred.
***
