The Oathsworn

by Liandra Jake

"I think the fact that four people knew something like this was going down could be considered something that 'worked.' All you did was put the both of us in an awkward position." Hunter replied.

  Arend shrugged. "I'd rather have that than for us to continue to argue. I don't want to lose you as a friend because of a stupid fight."

  "I'd like to see how you'd handle a riot." Hunter mumbled as he checked his phone. "I got to go; a little date with a sneaky blonde fur ball." Hunter said as he walked to the small door. Arend tilted his head as he watched him go.

  Arend wandered around the clock tower to admire the craftsmanship of the mechanisms. Once he was finished, he began his slow decent with Stick. He flipped open his phone. "Hey Nem, I'm headed your way. I'm free to help with the Legendary Weapons." Arend sent him the short voice mail. He was picking up dinner near the harbor when he received a message back.

  'Alright. Duke's raring to have another go at you. Bring the Dragon Drive.'

  King picked up Arend as he entered the Nest. "Have you spoken with Kronth yet?" King asked. "I heard about Isaac's little incident."

  "No, I don't think I'll see here for a while. Isaac really rattled her." Arend replied.

  "Frankly, I don't know why he's in Dragon's Den." King grumbled.

  Kyrel, Duke, and Vladd were fighting Nem as Arend dropped from King with the Dragon Drive. King disappeared into the skyline. Kyrel and Vladd took as break.

  "Where does King go every day?" Kyrel asked as Arend began doing stretches.

  "No idea." Arend replied as he touched his toes.

  "I heard Hawk and Liz like to give him baths often." Kyrel said.

  "Who?" Arend asked.

  Kyrel blinked. "You don't know them? Two of Dragon's Den's women? A blonde and red head? Friends with Panzer? Made King's saddle?"

  Arend shrugged. "I saw them a few times here and there, but I didn't get any names." Arend rubbed his chin. A gritty layer of stubble was coming in. "Come to think of it, there are six senior members of Dragon's Den I haven't met yet."

  "Some of them get up insanely early and there's a distinct separation between men and women in our Guild for some reason. With the exception of Kronth and Janese. Kronth always did whatever she wanted. And Janese has her thing with Nate."

  "And you with Panzer." Vladd added as he sat down.

  Kyrel shrugged. "Can't really argue with that. It can't go anywhere until she finally gives me an ultimatum."

  Nem called Arend over with a whistle. "He's all warmed up for you!" Nem said cheerfully as he gave Arend a pat on the back while jogging past.

  Duke was hopping from one foot to the other, feet blazing. "C'mon, c'mon! Let's do this!"

  Arend chuckled. "You guys ready for something new?"

  Arend began to twirl the Dragon Drive, spinning and dancing around with it, keeping the blade in constant motion. "Arend what the hell-"

  Duke was silenced by a tall, shuddering wave of Orenth past him. He followed the narrow line cut into the bedrock all the way to the large rock the Orenth cut a divot into in its last moments. A jagged layer of Korvan filled the gap slightly.

  Arend spun the Dragon Drive around to its normal position. "That wasn't the Cavity Slash. Overclock." The Drive clicked into place, giving Arend a two-color aura of blue and purple.

  Duke revved his Drives by rocking on his heels. "So are you going to keep using techniques normally impossible for a sword, let alone one as large as that? Or are you going to show me what that aura has in store for me?"

  Arend dashed forward, his blade skipping across Duke's horizontal kick. Arend quickly flashed to the left, the movement now shaped like an "L." Against his will, Duke was spun slightly towards Arend. As Duke tried to regain control of himself, Arend knocked him across the field with a sharp left hook. Duke landed crouching, sliding until his feet stopped on a flat rock. Duke watched Arend closely.

  Arend brought his sword up in two hands, quickly stepping in Duke's direction. Duke met him halfway. With a quick back flip, Duke kicked up Arend' arms and caught him on the chin with his toe. Duke landed from his back flip as Arend steadied his flailing arms. Duke's attack had left his head spinning, so it was harder than he thought.

  Duke rolled, spinning on his hands next to Arend with the intent to dig his toe into his chest. Arend quickly brought his arms up, bracing himself. Duke's kick made Arend slide back, even with the Stick backing him up.

  Arend grunted. "That shit hurts." He remarked as he glanced at the singed bruise on his right arm. He flexed his arm, rippling the muscles underneath. The bruise briefly turned purple and blue before immediately starting to fade. "Five Pillar."

  The Drive clicked down and the ring on the Drive accelerated to a blur. Arend' aura shined with green and yellow flashes in the red and blue that thickened around him. Duke launched skyward, a long coil of flame following his right foot. Flipping with the help of an explosion from his left foot, Duke whipped it in a sharp arc. Arend whipped the Dragon Drive across his chest with one hand. A whistling vacuum cut through and dissolved Duke's flaming whip.

  "I think Arend has a preferred Orenth." Vladd said.

  Kyrel glanced at Vladd briefly and nodded. "I get what you mean. He leads with Vacuum Orenth, but usually mixes it with what would be effective. In Duke's case, a bit more Earth and Water mixed with everything else to mask it from Duke."

  "That means he's got an Air group affinity." Nem said.

  "Don't think so." Vladd replied. "I think he just like using Vacuum with that weapon of his; gives it that much more of a deadly swing."

  As the three spoke with each other, Duke and Arend were clashing back and forth. Arend had the bizarre maneuverability, but Duke could counter everything he tried. The air vibrated as Duke's plated heel bounced off Arend' blade. Vladd and anyone else watching had to cover their ears from the sound. Duke and Arend ignored it as they clashed again.

  "They aren't going anywhere fighting like that." Nem said. "One of them has to end it."

  Duke retreated some distance from Arend. "I think Duke already knows that."Kyrel replied.

  Duke revved his Drives to twice the speed from before. Two pillars of hot air rose up from Duke. Gold and silver fire burned at his feet. "Metallic Luminosity."

  "Supercavitation." Arend replied, pushing his Drive father into its case. The Korvan in the ring were blurred to a solid ring of white. Brief pops of orange and red were scattered in Arend' aura, flashing white where all the colors overlapped. Arend collected the swirls of Orenth around his blade, completely removing his shield.

  Duke rushed forward in complete ignorance, his feet leaving swirls of melted stone where he stepped. A faint smile appeared on Arend' face. "Blink," He said to himself. "And you'll miss it."

  A narrow line of super condensed Orenth was sent Duke's way from a mighty swing of Arend' blade. Duke was suddenly pressed flat by a gust of wind created by Kyrel. Duke opened his mouth to curse Kyrel until Arend' Cavity Slash exploded outwards behind him, melting and cutting the bedrock in a splayed splash of swirling, etched stone. As Duke slowly got to his feet, the twisted landscape burst with plants bearing the fruits of Orenth. Faint lines of Korvan filled the etchings in the stone.

  "Damn." Arend cursed "I still haven't gotten it right yet. I need more stabilization."

  "Are you insane!?" Kyrel exclaimed, storming out onto the battlefield. "You could have killed him!"

  Arend shook his head. "I was holding back." The Drive pinged back into place.

  "Does that look like holding back!?" Kyrel's arm jerked in the direction of the melted stone.

  Nem picked one of the Moonfruits. "I will say though," Nem said as he bit into the Moonfruit. "His power has its uses." Kyrel frowned.

  "Relax Kyrel." Duke said as he placed a hand on Kyrel's shoulders. "Based on what he did to Ros, who was using Death Orenth at the time, he was holding back a lot. While just how much, I don't think I'll ever now." Duke walked back towards Jacob's shack. "Needless to say Arend, I'm done for today."


  "A perfect opportunity for Arend to practice that move, and for you to name your weapon." Nem said.

  "Zünden Streikenden." Duke replied without hesitation.

  Arend nodded. "Fire Strikers. It's clever in more ways than one." Kyrel and Nem glanced at Arend. "It's both a soccer team and a pun on flint and steel." Arend explained. Nem and Kyrel walked away shaking their heads.

  As Nem suggested, Arend began to practice the Cavity Slash. Without combat, the buildup of Orenth took longer. Arend tried various kinds of swings to try and nail the right one. The growing patch of land Arend aimed at continually twisted itself and sprouted more plants. The plants grew rapidly and their fruit grew engorged on the Orenth Arend was throwing around.

  Jacob and Nem were mocking rocking in their lawn chairs. "This year's harvest is comin' in mighty fine." Nem said.

  "Eeyup. Little Jimmy's gettin' some new shoes." Jacob replied. Nem struggled to keep a straight face. Jacob burst into laughter before Nem could.

  Duke was wandering some distance away, slowly making his way to King. Kyrel was watching him with a sly smile as he leaned back against Jacob's shack. Something poked his leg. Glancing down, he saw a large gecko.

  "Pockle right?" Kyrel asked.

  She nodded. "I need to speak to you where others won't hear." They walked around to the backside of Jacob's shack and scurried up the wall to eye level with Kyrel.

  "I know what you found. What I don't know is if you understand the dangers it possesses." Kyrel simply cocked an eyebrow.

  "The Terma." Pockle whispered.

  erel immediately dropped his cool demeanor. "How?" He demanded.

  "You're able to fully manipulate Natural Orenth. I know it isn't Air or Earth, as you can't grasp Air's full power and you're too awkward with Earth."

  Kyrel explained with one word. "Ice."

  Pockle nodded. "Where is it?"

  "In the ashes of my family's mansion, destroyed by Meteora." Kyrel replied.

  Pockle raised an eyebrow. "Meteora? So you're capable of that level of Orenth Manipulation?"

  "And using the Terma with this." Kyrel said with a hand on Aero Fìra.

  Pockle smiled. "So you're that open." She pulled out a piece of crinkled, yellow paper. She gave it to Kyrel. Kyrel read one line and his mouth fell open. "I can't give it to you, but I can let you study it. Since Electricity falls close to your Air powers, it should be easy. What I need from you is the Ice."

  "But it's a pile of ashes." Kyrel said as Pockle hid the paper.

  "The Termas are everlasting if one has the power. As you can now use Ice, you can pull it back together by soaking it with your Orenth. This is good as we can split them; retaining the documents themselves, while keeping them unusable if they're stolen."

  Kyrel nodded. "We can catch a late night train right now. If anyone asks why, you wanted to see what Meteora did."

  Pockle climbed onto Kyrel's shoulder. "Let's go. It'll take forever on my stubby legs."

  As the two left on their secret mission, Duke approached King with a secret of his own. King glanced up at Duke. He raised his head and yawned. "What do you want?"

  "Do you remember our conversation about Kakan?"

  King sat up, a bit interested in what Duke had to say. "You had an ancestor that was a Great General. Correct?" King asked.

  "Yeah, and I take it you know exactly who." Duke replied.

  Sebastian Zekerhänd?" King asked quietly. Duke nodded. "… I can see why you would want to avoid that name. He's infamous for burning many, many cities. And as I recall, arson has been a recent problem with your family as well."

  "They're not my family." Duke growled. Checking his anger, he continued. "That's not why I'm here. I'm here regarding some sensitive information regarding the Zekerhänds."

  King bent down and offered his ear. "The Zekerhänds have no power relating to Fire at all. We're primarily Earth and Moon based." Duke whispered.

  "How then-" King's question was interrupted by one word.

  "Terma."

  King sat up straight. "Do not speak of this again. Those… things are better left forgotten. I don't see why you would even tell me."

  Duke placed his hand on his left forearm. "It's in five pieces; arm, arm, leg, leg, and the last hidden at my grave." Duke said.

  "Grave?" King asked with a raised eyebrow.

  "To my fa- To them, I'm dead, not shunned; they assumed I died in the fire caused by my brother's use of the Terma. I escaped because of my Water and Earth skills they decided to abandon. The final verse is scattered like my ashes were. I can safely use this as long as I don't go there." Duke said with a wiggle of his foot.

  King grumbled. "So it's reasonably safe to assume that the Fire Terma can't be shared without your approval or unless someone can remember all of the verses. Don't go searching for the others."

  "I wasn't planning on it." Duke replied. "I just wanted you to understand what it would mean for me to use my full power." King laid back down, no longer interested in talking.

  Duke returned to Nem and Jacob, who were still pretending to be farmers as Arend continued to "grow their crop." Duke simply watched Arend sculpt with small bursts of Orenth meant to focus on the attack's stability.

  - - - Steady Foundations - - -

  Pockle and Kyrel ripped their respective Termas in half. They traded the last halves. "You know Kyrel; your power really is astounding." Pockle remarked as she hid the cold half of paper as well as the crackling half in her bag.

  "I know." Kyrel replied as he flexed his fist, letting his knuckles crackle with faint blue light. "Even with my Air affinity, learning this in only four hours is surprising. The first one took me three months."

  Pockle nodded. "I know neither, but I know that each one is only slightly different in its own way."

  "In this case, a slight change in tone." Kyrel commented.

  Pockle looked up at the darkened sky. A faint crescent was all that could be seen of the moon. "We should head back now. It's unsafe to be so far out this late at night."

  Kyrel chuckled. "Unsafe is a bit more correct than dangerous. I'm the one who's dangerous."

  With a hand, Kyrel helped Pockle back onto his shoulder. "Regardless, people will talk if we're gone too long."

  [X]

  Flake and Hunter's date was turning out better than either of them ever thought. Hunter took Flake on a tour of his favorite places to just watch the city, finding a few more hidden in nooks and forgotten rooftops along the way. In return, Flake took him on a sky-high flight above the city before the two enjoyed a quiet candlelight dinner on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the ocean.

  It was almost sunrise when the two returned to Dragon's Den. "You know, it's a long way back to the fortress." Hunter said as they meandered outside the building.

  Flake nodded as he stifled a yawn. "I'd rent a room if I had money." Hunter flashed him a smile. Flake smiled back. The pair strutted confidently across the lobby and walked into the elevator.

  The few in the lobby laughed to themselves, telling Arend when he woke up early a few hours later to walk through his completed shop. Arend laughed to himself. 'I'm glad it went down so smoothly. I don't they'll do anything really significant in their relationship anytime soon. Flake crashing at his place is a big step already.'

  Arend waltzed out of Dragon's Den in the direction of his shop. It was a three story building stacked in such a way that each floor had access directly outside. The first floor was a simple, long rectangle. The second was placed on top of it, turning left and dropping some distance from the end of the first floor to rest on the ground. A pair of double doors allowed access up the incline.

  The top floor stopped the same distance from the end of the second floor, but carried on to create a very large garage. Inside the second floor wall was open to the garage and was connected to the main office above by a spiraling staircase. Three garage doors were space evenly along the garage. Their chrome-plated slats shined in the rising sun.
Iode threw in the larger third one for the heck of it; a foot extra space in every direction.

  The entrance had a small waiting room with two large glass double doors. To the right and left were walls painted by local artists. One was a landscape painting of the foothills below a mountain painted with unreal detail, and the other was the hills south of Sareville at night with soft fuzz to everything. Two counters started at the end of the waiting room and turned towards the middle of the first floor, creating a four person wide walkway.

  They ran back into the walls right before the painted walls met two side doors. In the middle, the frame of a simple elevator was set up to function fully without walls or doors. It was meant for materials to heavy to walk up the incline. A dividing wall four feet tall topped by ferns separated the room beyond. It was a meeting room that would allow for planning of large projects and working one on one with Arend or his other workers on a commission.