A New Beginning

by Alexander W Meurant

  "I think a titan has been found. Rulo is on edge because of it. The titans disappeared at the start of the godless age, so it is only right for the man to be frightened" Ra'Lath spoke directly into Rulo's mind and he smiled a little.

  "I think so too. This tumultuous era has seen many changes, and Rulo is not a man that embraces change. Well, enough chit chat. Let us get ready. This hunt should be interesting. I will need your assistance when I meditate. Perhaps we can trigger a fluctuation and find the exact whereabouts of the source. If not, then we will have to travel and hunt the old way" Elai stated as he sunk into a trance once more, this time pushing his mind to connect to the spirit realm completely and sync with its energies. This was not going to be an easy task, as much as it invigorated him.

  * * *

  Sain sat on the bed in the doctor's office, his legs swaying a little as the doctor held a light up to the young man’s eyes briefly.

  "You seem to be alright. I can't say much about why you had the nose bleed. Perhaps you did get hit in the face during your spar, and just didn't notice from adrenaline. Magic can also cause such things with fluctuating pressure around you" the doctor stated before dropping the light and shuffling back to his desk. He took a seat and started to type away at his computer, making notes on Sain's profile.

  "I don't think it is anything to worry about at this stage. If it happens again, come back though, and I will send you for a head scan. Whilst I think you are too young to suffer from it, I don’t want to rule out the possibility of Crystolia affecting you. With that said, you are good to go" the doctor stated and swiveled around on his chair to face Sain. Sain tilted his head and frowned, not having heard of what the doctor called Crystolia.

  “Um, doc, forgive my lack of knowledge, but what is Crystolia?” Sain asked, still frowning and the Doctor blinked at him before taking on a thoughtful expression.

  “I am not sure what it would be called in your language, but it is an illness that magi suffer usually late in life. It comes from using Etherum crystals to aid magic. Every time a mage uses energy crystals for magic, certain compounds from the crystal are absorbed into the body, and the body has no way to get rid of this compound. Think of it like a heavy metal being absorbed. That can cause numerous effects on your body depending on the type of metal” the doctor stated and Sain frowned. He had never heard of such a thing. Perhaps that was the fault of Clyde and his poor education skills.

  “I see, I haven’t heard of that before. What symptoms can it have. Can it make you, I don’t know, hear voices and stuff?” Sain asked curiously, wondering suddenly if that could explain the weird voice that could take control of him. The doctor looked thoughtful for a moment and then perked a brow.

  “I’ve not heard of it doing so. Why? Are you hearing voices?” the doctor asked and Sain blinked, feeling like he had just raised a red flag for himself.

  “No, I was just curious. I worked in a crystal foundry growing up and used to see lots of weird things there” Sain stated and relaxed as he saw the doctor’s brow go back to normal.

  “Ah, well that is interesting. Well, if you never drew magic from crystals while working, it won’t have affected you. The main symptoms are shaking, blood clotting and eventually organ failure. Nothing that is affecting you at this time. But still, if you experience any strange symptoms, definitely come see me. For now, on your way, I have other patients to see” the doctor stated and swiveled on his chair, turning back to his computer. Sain nodded and stepped down off the bed, stretching his arms out to his sides.

  "Alright, well, in that case I will head off. Thanks doc. Never hurts to be sure right" Sain stated and smiled at the man, getting a kind smile in return. He made his way to the door then and exited. Coming into the foyer of the general hospital Sain looked around. There were around a dozen other people waiting to see doctors.

  He shrugged and made his way to the building exit and stepped out into the familiar world of the military base. He looked up at the sky and noted how high the sun was. It was around midafternoon, and he wondered what there was for him to do. Go to the gym maybe or go back to the barracks and mingle. It was a Sunday, so most of the platoon would be free, if they had recovered from the alcohol last night anyway.

  Last night. Those words brought back the memory of Lesha and his heart jumped a beat. Perhaps it would be better if he went and saw her. Checked up on her. Yes, that would be the best. Remembering a past conversation he started heading towards a part of the base where units were located. Lesha had once told him she lived in the same block as Kasui.

  So, he started to walk there, and as he did his mind drifted back to when he had sparred Travos. The man had used earth magic in a way Sai had never even comprehended. But seeing as how Kasui also bent light in an unfathomable way Sain surmised there must be many ways to use magic. Uses lost over the ages.

  "What you know of magic doesn’t even make up one percent of the knowledge out there" that familiar voice stated in his mind and Sain groaned out loud.

  "Fuck. Not you again. Can't you just leave me alone" Sain muttered under his breath irritably as he walked. He stayed silent now, trying not to think. The voice didn't quip back at him and he sighed. Hearing a rumble Sain looked to his left as a few cars drove past. They were crammed full of people all dressed in civilian clothes. He frowned, wondering if they were heading off base to party for the evening. That wouldn't surprise him.

  Before long Sain came to the apartment block he remembered Kasui lived in and he stepped into the foyer, trying to remember where Lesha had said she lived.

  "She said the top floor. Room seven" came the voice again and Sain groaned. He was getting fed up with this voice. Maybe he should tell someone about it.

  "Don't tell anyone about me. They will think you are mad. Then you will end up in a loony house. You probably already have eyes on you after talking to that doctor just now. You idiot" the voice stated and Sain felt a rush of irritation. The voice was right he supposed. Sain started towards a flight of stairs and went up until he reached the third floor. He hunted for room seven and found it. Standing before it he sucked in a shaky breath, wondering if Lesha was even home. Maybe she was out. This would be a wasted trip then surely. Maybe he should just head back. Go back to the barracks.

  "Have some courage. Knock. What’s the worst that could happen. Unless you want me to take over" the voice stated and Sain felt a rush of anger.

  "Fuck off. Don't you dare do that" Sain snapped irritably even as he raised his hand to knock. He rapped three times and then waited. He heard a shuffle inside and then a bolt on the door unlock from inside. Sain’s heart beat hard and he tried to change his expression to look aloof and all that.

  The door opened a crack and Sain saw Lesha peek out. Then the door closed, and he head a chain sliding from the inside of the frame before the door was opened fully and Lesha stood before him, dressed casually, her long black hair loose around her shoulders, and framing her dark face. She also wore a slight frown.

  "Sain, what brings you here?" she asked that frown still there. Her eyes were bright though and Sain could see a hint of uncertainty there. He was sure of it.

  "Hey Lesha. Well, I was just coming around to check on you. I mean, after last night. And well, we didn't really part ways on good terms this morning yanno, cause of the Major" Sain stated and lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck nervously. The gesture was not lost on Lesha though and she lifted a brow briefly before stepping back and opening the door wider.

  "Well, I am alright. You can come in if you want" Lesha stated and Sain shot her a weak smile as he shuffled past and into the small apartment. The place was immaculate. It was clean and organized. A small table took up the center of the room and a double bed was against a wall opposite a small kitchen. A large pedestal fan was in the corner, currently turned on and swirling air about the place. The apartment seemed to be laid out similarly to Kasui's own studio apartment. Hearing the door close behind him he perked up his ears, catching a
light tune of music in the back ground as well.

  "Would you like something to drink. I am afraid I don't have any alcohol here. And if I did have any, I still wouldn't let you have any. I have fruit juice though" Lesha stated and Sain turned to look at her as she shuffled past.

  "Juice is fine" Sain stated and stepped further into the apartment, taking a seat at the table. A book was laid out on it and Sain surmised Lesha had been reading when he came knocking.

  "What did the Major want with you then. He was the reason we had to part ways so suddenly after all" Lesha stated as she opened her fridge and took out a bottle of juice before filling a glass with the amber colored liquid.

  "He wanted to spar. Well, more like just hit something over and over with magic until he had nothing left" Sain stated and latched his gaze on Lesha as the woman put back the juice bottle and then brought two glasses of it over. One for him and one for her. She handed one to Sain before taking a seat opposite him and sipping from hers briefly.

  "Well, I can sort of understand why. Grief does things to people. Makes them irrational. That is normal though. Only cold-hearted people are unaffected when loved ones pass away" Lesha stated softly and placed her glass down. She looked up and latched her gaze on Sain's eyes and he felt his heart jolt. All he wanted to do right now was avert his gaze. He felt like he couldn't meet her eyes and it was uncomfortable. Finally, Lesha was the first to look away and she started to trace a finger on the table, going over a knot in the wood of it.

  "About last night. It was, fun" she said mildly and quietly and Sain saw her cheeks redden a little. Lesha was still embarrassed and Sain gulped. In a way he was embarrassed as well. It was awkward.

  "It was. I enjoyed it as well, and well, wouldn't mind if it became, um, well regular" Sain stated, his voice halting. In truth he had enjoyed it, even if he had not been in control. Lesha lifted her gaze to him and stared, a little confused, turmoil in her eyes.

  "You moron. You sound like a whipped puppy. Be more confidant. Ask her out or something. What’s the worst that can happen? Rejection?" came that voice and Sain felt a flash of irritation.

  "Um, what I meant to say is, would you like to see each other. More regularly. Like be a couple?" Sain asked and felt his heart flutter. There, he had asked it, and well, it felt like a relief. Now what was he doing, following the advice of a voice in his head. Did he have multiple personalities now? Lesha seemed suddenly quite shocked and Sain saw her grip tighten around her glass. She seemed lost in thought and after a short while she replied, her voice measured.

  "I, I don't know if that is a good idea. But I wouldn't be averse to seeing each other casually, for fun" Lesha stated and looked up at Sain.

  "Just be friends you know, with benefits" Lesha stated and smiled a little mischievously, like she knew what she was suggesting was not exactly what Sain had had in mind. He actually felt a rush of amusement as he looked at Lesha, catching a sense of a playful, and devious side of her. And it was a lot more endearing than her usual professional, serious and aloof manner.

  Sain grinned and leant forward, his eyes gleaming.

  "Well, that is doable. I mean, I am happy with that" Sain stated and actually felt a sudden rush of desire for her. He could even feel it building in his groin. He took a quick gulp of his juice, the sweetness filling his mouth. He was suddenly aware of Lesha standing up and sliding around the table, her eyes locked on Sain.

  "Well there we go. Friends with benefits is a start. Welcome to fuck buddy central. If you ever want me in control, just say so" said that voice and Sain ignored it, instead focusing on Lesha as she stood beside him, her mouth coming down to his ear.

  "Then while you are here, why don't we seal the deal" Lesha whispered into Sain’s ear and he grinned, suddenly feeling more confidant. He stood up then and grabbed the slightly shorter woman around her hips and pulled her in, mashing his arousal against her body. Then he just planted a long firm kiss to her lips, trying to drown out the sound of laughter in his mind. That voice really wasn't going to leave him be was it?

  Chapter 25

  * * *

  Mehrasa muttered a curse as the dinghy bobbed up and down in the water once more, a spray of ocean slapping her full in the face. She was already soaked through and was shivering heavily. She lifted a hand and grabbed her scarf, using it to wipe the water away from her eyes. Drying her eyes somewhat with her now soaked scarf, Mehrasa then flicked her gaze around the other five people crammed into the dinghy, along with all their supplies, weapons and ammunition. She still didn't know exactly why she was here.

  Rehan had told her a few days past that she would be taking part in the capture of a large freight ship, and that was about it. He had then told her that she would be briefed along with the others by the person running the job. And that person was now staring fixatedly at her soaked form, her clothes hugging quite close to her body displaying all her curves. She wanted to hit him, or at the very least distract him from his staring.

  "So, what are the rest of the job details? Rehan said you would tell us when we got out to sea" Mehrasa asked and heard a murmur of agreement from the other four, Cabhar especially. She was not with Mehrbad as he was on a separate dinghy out in the ocean somewhere.

  The staring man sneered and guided his eyes up to Mehrasa's face for the briefest moment before going down to her chest again, her nipples hard from the cold and quite visible through her soaked clothes.

  "You all know we got a second boat out there right? They are taking a route from another mother ship, and are aiming to approach our target from the south. We will hit it from the north" the man stated and Mehrasa rolled her eyes.

  "No shit. We sort of figured that one out ourselves" Mehrasa snapped back and she saw the man’s eyes focus on her face completely now.

  "Don't get bratty missy. You might get hurt" the man retorted and then turned to look out onto the dark horizon, a small smudge appearing. That was probably the ship.

  "Right, we are close, so I’ll tell ya. This job has been in the works for weeks. When we take the ship, we will find a few score mercenaries on the ship. They are hiding in containers. They are on our side and will be doing most of the work. We listen to what they say as they are the actual employers. Got it?" the man stated and Mehrasa blinked in confusion, not quite sure what to think. As a question formed in her mind, she gave it words.

  "So, these mercenaries have been hiding on the ship for how long exactly?" she asked and got a sharp look from the man.

  "Weeks, I guess. They come from up north. The ship is from Northern Lyesia I am told" he replied and looked forward to the horizon now, the sun starting to rise and bring a weak light to the world. Getting slapped by another spray of water Mehrasa spluttered and brought her arms up to hug her chest, to try and warm herself up a bit.

  "Anyway, once we get on the ship, Mehrasa, you stick with Sojun. Cabhar, you stick with Roole, and Mibhen, you stick with me. We sweep the ship, find the crew and take them to their mess hall once we find it. Oh, and so you know, Sojun, Roole and I can use magic. That’s why we are here. At the request of these damn mercs. There will be three other magic users on the other dinghy too" the man stated and Mehrasa frowned. Magic. She had heard stories of such a thing, but anyone in the village that possessed a shred of aptitude for it was generally found by the Mayor and sent to the kingdom capital. How had these people escaped such a thing she wondered?

  "Um, so what’s your name then? You know us, but we don't know you" Mehrasa asked, starting to rub her hands up and down her upper arms, trying to warm up her body still. The man looked at her quizzically before sneering.

  "Call me Jimmy. That’s it. Now shut up until we reach the ship. Make sure your weapons are loaded" Jimmy stated and turned his gaze back to the horizon, that smudge now distinguishable as a ship. A really big ship.

  "Sojun, speed us up. The suns coming up fast and we need to board" Jimmy ordered and Mehrasa heard the dinghy motor get louder as the man sitting behind her inc
reased the throttle on the engine. She looked back to Sojun and offered him a smile. If she was going to be stuck with him, then she may as well try to be nice. He was a young man, well built with a clean-shaven face. Not a scraggly thin beard like most young men from her village had. He offered her a smile in return and then a nod, a hand lifting to point at the weapon she had slung around her shoulder.

  She looked down at it and frowned. The rifle was a borrowed weapon, and apparently incredibly tough. It could fire in near any condition. It could have water, mud, oil, dirt or blood in it and it would still fire. It had a curved magazine on the bottom of it which could be used as a sort of handhold. The rifle butt was a simple thing and fitted comfortably in her shoulder. She did a quick check of it, pulling the bolt back, trying to remember how it was supposed to work. She had been given a brief lesson on it, but that was about it. Point and shoot was basically what she had been told. Moving a hand down to her belly, she pressed in and felt her pistol stashed away there, secured against her body by a second scarf she had used as a sash. Just having these weapons on her made her feel so much stronger and confident.