by Kory Shen
"I'm sorry," Kuri said. "But surely the king must still cherish you, as the only memory of his love."
"Ha! More like a reminder of his grief," I said bitterly. "He'd probably be happier if I fell into the sea and never returned."
The past was the past. I had to focus on the future. And my future allies.
"What about you?" I asked. "What's an elf doing in the Elderlands?"
Kuri's face told me that my guess had been right. For the second time since entering the barracks, I found myself sandwiched between Kuri's lithe body and a hard stone wall.
"What do you know? Who have you told?" Her voice cracked in desperation as she wrapped one hand around the front of my neck and squeezed.
Despite the pain, I tried to smile. "Kuri," I wheezed. "While I enjoy the closeness of your company, please stop choking me."
After another moment, Kuri released me. "Talk. How did you know I'm an elf?"
I massaged my sore neck. "I didn't. Not until you told me, but I had a hunch."
Kuri growled. "You tricked me."
"You started it." I glanced meaningfully at Kuri's headband. "What's your story? I told you mine."
When Kuri didn't respond, I shrugged. "My father seems to have figured it out. Others will, too. You can face them alone or together. Like we've done, what, twice already?" I met Kuri's golden eyes. "So why are you here? Elves and humans don't usually mix."
Kuri bit her lip. "Isn't it obvious?"
"No? You're powerful and beautiful. Why would someone like you leave her home kingdom?"
Kuri lowered her eyes, the tint of a blush coloring her cheeks. "A bastard such as yourself is treated with little respect, is this correct?" she asked.
"Yeah, you could say that."
"It's the same with me. I was born with a gift for fire. I'm a fire mage. An elven fire mage." She said that like something was obvious.
"I don't know much about elves," I said. "They dress up funny, dance about in the forest, and…oh. I see." Elves were tree-huggers and spiritual types. They lived in trees, made babies in trees, and buried their dead beneath trees. At least that's what the stories said. I had never met one before. I nodded sympathetically at Kuri's situation. "Fires and forests don't mix, eh?"
"Elves prize an affinity for nature magic above all else. An affinity for fire is an unspeakable shame, even for one born of royal blood." Kuri's voice trembled for only a brief moment before she collected herself. "Three years ago, there was an accident. Two miles of forest, gone in a blaze." She lowered her eyes. "I traveled west, to prove my worth. To prove I'm worthy enough to return home."
"To prove that you're worthy? Fuck that. I've seen how you fight. Are you sure they're worthy enough for you?" I asked.
"What do you mean?"
"You're a goddamn wood elf with fire magic." I chuckled.
Kuri scowled. "Are you mocking me?"
"No, the opposite. You realize you could probably overthrow the entire elf empire by yourself? They aren't ashamed of you. They're afraid of you."
"That's not true."
"What would they do? Hide in their forests?"
Kuri shook her head. "You don't know what you're talking about. But enough of that. How did you guess who I was?"
"You're obviously not from around here," I said. "But your technique is what really gave it away. Mira couldn't explain why your bones didn't shatter from your fighting style. It was inhuman."
"I see."
"Elves have stronger bodies than humans, right?"
Kuri nodded. "I suppose some of the others may guess. Who is Mira, though?"
Oops. I hadn't meant to let that slip. Or had I? If we were sharing secrets…
"I'll keep your secret. But you have to keep mine, got it?"
"I suppose."
"Swear by your true name?"
Kuri made a face.
"Fine. Anyway, Mira is some kind of spirit that lives in my armor. She knows all sorts of things, helps me when I fight. I can introduce you to her if they ever bring me my armor." I looked around the small room. A suit of armor wouldn't really fit in there. I'd figure it out later.
Someone banged on our room door. My armor? I jumped up to get the door, but it opened before I reached it. They didn't have locks, at least on our door. I wondered how Kuri would take that.
A burly man with a beard stepped inside and shouted.
"In the courtyard! You're late! The commander's waiting!"
Kuri peeked past me to see who was speaking. "Commander?" she asked.
"Lexley," I said. "Let's see what great tasks he has in mind for the winners of this year's Melee."
CHAPTER 11
"What the fuck is this?" Lexley kicked my armor, which was lying on the ground before him.
Kuri gave me a questioning look, but we had both just arrived in the courtyard. I wasn't sure why Lexley was mad, either.
Lexley pointed a finger at a young page. "You. Put this on."
The page stammered. "But…but…"
I stepped forward. "Lexley, you know you're not supposed to touch another man's armor."
Lexley scowled. "You're not a man."
"I'm two years older than you."
Lexley screamed at the page. "Put it on! I command you!"
The now pale boy reached for my armor with a trembling hand. It was then that I noticed a few men sitting on the ground, holding their heads with grimaces on their faces.
I had a bad feeling about this.
"Go easy on him!" I shouted urgently. "It's not his fault."
"What?" Lexley looked at me in confusion, but I wasn't talking to him.
The page withdrew his hand, screaming, as an arc of lightning from the armor zapped him. He fell backwards onto his butt and scrambled away.
"It's possessed!" the page cried.
"Lexley, this is stupid—"
"You!" Lexley stabbed a finger at me. "This is your fault. Make it stop."
"Make what stop?" I asked as innocently as I could.
"Disable the protective charm. I want to examine the armor."
"I don't know how to," I said. It was the truth. I supposed I could have asked Mira to stop whatever she was doing.
"You're lying," Lexley snarled. "I command you to disable the protective charms. Now."
A thick-bodied man with a shaggy dark beard spoke. "Your commander and prince has given you a command, Sentinel."
"I would if I could," I said. "I bought this a few days ago from a mage. Ask the king if you doubt me." I gestured toward myself. "Do I look like a mage? Like someone versed in charms and spells? I'm figuring this out as I go."
"So your victory in the Melee was a fluke?" Lexley asked. "In other words, you're a charlatan."
"I like to think that I'm quick on my feet. And a fast learner."
Lexley came up to me until his nose was inches from mine. "Then learn this. I'm in charge of your sorry ass. I can kick you out of the Sentinels any time I want."
I didn't budge. "Then why don't you? Right now."
"Jakson…" Kuri murmured from behind me.
"You think you're so smart." Lexley smiled. "I'm going to make you drop out on your own. To make sure you know you weren't good enough. To know that you failed." I blinked as he spat in my face.
"You pompous—" Kuri began.
I held up my hand to cut her off, shaking my head. "He's our commander. Our prince, too, I suppose."
Lexley stared at Kuri. "And who are you? Some foreign whore?" He threw up his hands and turned around before Kuri could reply. "The jester and the whore. What a fine pair of recruits." He walked away from us.
"Your Highness," the bearded man said. "What about them?"
Lexley didn't turn as he spoke. "You're in charge, Sergio. Send them to the shit house." The others followed Lexley out of the courtyard. Only Sergio remained behind.
"So, is that a figurative or literal shit house?" I asked.
Sergio grinned.
* * *
"Disgus
ting!" Kuri screamed. She threw a dirty rag into the corner of the foul-smelling wooden room.
I winced as the soggy rag knocked a chamber pot over, spilling the gruesome contents inside. Dozens of other chamber pots were stacked against one wall, waiting to be cleaned.
My right arm was elbow deep in another pot as I scrubbed its innards.
Kuri pulled back a leg, looking like she was about to deliver a kick to another pot.
"Whoa!" I scrambled, getting between Kuri and the innocent chamber pot. "That one isn't empty yet. You do not want to do that."
"Hold still, then," Kuri said, "so I can kick you instead. This is all your fault, anyway."
I darted to the side to avoid her kick. I cringed, waiting for the sound of a shattering chamber pot, but Kuri pulled her kick at the last moment.
"This is still your fault," Kuri said.
"That's not fair," I said. "The real reason we're here is because Lexley's an asshole."
Kuri mumbled something as she turned and picked up another rag.
"Hey, I have an idea," I added. "You can control fire, right?"
Kuri's eyes shifted to me, warily. "So?"
"Do you think you could incinerate the shit in these pots? Turn it to ash?" I tapped a pot's hard surface. "These are fire-cured ceramics. They should be able to take the heat."
Kuri shook her head. "This building's made of wood, and we're on the edge of a forest. It's too risky." Sunlight shone through the cracks in the wooden ceiling, lighting up the area where Kuri stood. Her brows furrowed as a dark expression passed over her face.
I paused. Memories of her accident? It wasn't the type of thing you forgot easily, but maybe there was a way I could help.
"My suit's outside." Sergio had sent us directly to the shit house, so I ended up lugging my armor with me. "I can use my ice bolts to control the fire if it gets out of hand."
Kuri didn't say anything.
"Kuri?" I asked. "It'll be fine. Or would you rather finish this the old-fashioned way?" I gestured towards the unwashed chamber pots.
Kuri's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Get your suit."
"Yeah, let's burn this shit!" I raced outside. My hands were covered in filth, but I didn't have time to wash them properly. I wiped them on the grassy ground, then on the dry dirt of the dusty path that had led there.
"Open up, Mira," I called, as I stepped toward my armor.
My armor flowered open.
"Hello, Jakson. How may I serve you today?" Mira's voice sang cheerfully.
I grinned as I backed into the open armor. "We're going to be burning some shit. Actually, we'll be making sure the fire doesn't get out of hand." I grimaced as I inserted my stained hands into Mira's gauntlets.
"Environmental containment? Understood."
"Mira, can you clean the inside of the suit later? Like you did for the outside when I found you?"
"Yes, I perform regular internal cleaning cycles when in storage to maintain hygienic standards." Mira made a sniffing sound. "I am detecting human excrement inside me. Are you suffering from a gastrointestinal issue?"
"Ah, sorry about that. It's the chamber pots—forget it."
Kuri had stepped outside to see whether I was ready. My armor snapped shut, and I waved at Kuri.
"I think it's safer if we bring the chamber pots outside," Kuri said. She pointed to a clearing in the grass. "We can pile them up there."
"Hold on, Kira," I said. "Maybe I can dig a pit first." I lowered my voice. "Mira, what do you think? A couple full blast triple shots?"
"Are you using me to dig holes?" Mira's tone had turned frosty in an instant. "I am not an agricultural implement."
For Yora's sake. My armor had an ego?
"No," I said. "We're containing, what was it?" I scratched my head, my metal finger rubbing against my helmet. What the hell had Mira said? "We're not digging holes. We're creating a containment pit."
"Where do you want the containment pit?" Mira asked testily.
I pointed with my left arm. "There."
A streak of multi-colored light shot out of my arm. The field of grass exploded, leaving behind a dirt pit about two yards across.
Kuri eyed my handiwork. "Maybe a little bigger."
"Hear that, Mira?" I aimed my left arm again. "Once more."
Another triple shot struck the pit. When the clods of dirt and grass settled, the pit was now about three yards across and a yard deep.
"Let's move the pots," I said, heading into the wooden building.
I paused. Kuri was looking at me strangely.
"You don't want to take your armor off?" Kuri asked. "You're not worried about getting it soiled?"
"Princess, I smeared shit on my own face to save you last time. You think I'm worried about a bit of dirt on my armor? Besides, I'll be faster and stronger with it. We'll finish sooner."
Kuri shrugged. "Suit yourself."
"Exactly."
We both headed into the building. I grabbed two chambers pots, one in each arm, and headed back outside to drop them off in the pit.
"Is that manure?" Mira asked in a horrified tone. "I told you. I am not a farming implement. I am an X-class combat—"
"Hush, Mira."
* * *
My plan went off without a hitch. Kuri poured a torrent of flames over the chamber pots while I monitored the perimeter, using my ice bolts on any patches of ground beyond the pit that started smoldering.
The one part of my plan that I hadn't anticipated fully was the horrid smell of incinerated shit. My armor kept me safe from the offensive odor once I asked Mira about it, but poor Kuri was exposed to the brunt of the assault. She hid her face behind a portion of her tunic as thick brown columns of smoke rose into the sky, but her face had taken on a sickly hue.
When the flames subsided, I walked up to the still cooling chamber pots. Dry white ash filled the pots. I jostled one with my armored foot, and the ash inside shifted. It would be a simple matter to dump the pots now.
A distant sound caught my attention, the rhythmic beats indicating a galloping horse. I swiveled to face the oncoming guest. Kuri frowned and looked down the path as well.
"You can hear that?" Kuri asked. "Is my hearing dulled, or is human hearing better than I thought?"
"I amplify combat-relevant sensory data as part of my standard procedures," Mira whispered into my ear. "The incoming agent is a potential threat."
"Thanks, Mira," I whispered. I spoke more loudly to Kuri, tapping the side of my helmet. "It's my armor. Gives me enhanced hearing."
We waited as the brown stallion approached. The rider's bulky figure and beard were familiar. Sergio.
Sergio pulled his horse to a halt a safe distance away from us. He covered his face with one hand.
"What in Yora's name are you two doing?" Sergio coughed. "We can smell your shit from a mile away."
I held up my hands innocently, palms raised upwards. "We came up with a faster way of cleaning the chamber pots. Check it out." I pointed to the still smoking pots.
A flame appeared in one of Kuri's hands. "This wasn't pleasant for us, either." The flame flared brightly, then vanished.
Sergio stared at Kuri, then me. He opened his mouth to speak, but ended up coughing instead.
"Fucking recruits," he ended up sputtering. He spat on the ground as if trying to cleanse a bad taste from his mouth. "Since you're so fucking good at dealing with shit, you two will be in charge of cleaning the pots every day from now on."
"Hey, wait a minute—" I began.
Sergio turned his horse and rode away before I could say anything else.
I gave Kuri a helpless look.
She glared at me. "Like I said. All your fault."
* * *
After we finished with the chamber pots, I started walking towards a stream I had spotted on the way over. I beckoned to Kuri, who hadn't moved yet.
"Let's go clean up. There's moving water a few minutes in that direction."
I was still in my
armor. Since Mira could clean the suit anyway, I regretted not wearing it from the start. It was comfortably cool, somehow wicking away my sweat.
I had heard complaints among the knights about sore joints and sweat-soaked bodies. I hadn't realized until now how lucky I was.
I stepped onto the path, but Kuri still hadn't moved. "Kuri?"
"You go ahead," Kuri said. "I'll wash up on my own."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Kuri's eyes narrowed. "Don't human males and females bathe separately?"
Thankfully, my helmet concealed my grin. Otherwise, I might have earned a blast of flame to my face.
"Yes, but it's not like that. It's safer if we stick together. I'll keep an eye out for you, and you do the same for me."
"Keep your eyes to yourself, if you want to keep living," Kuri replied.
I shook my head. "Lexley has a hard-on for both of us."
"Because of you."
I sighed. "Because of me. It doesn't matter. He's going to set more people against us. Sergio, this shit house. It's only the beginning."
"Then, why are you here?"
I frowned, but Kuri's expression was genuinely curious.
"You don't have to be here," Kuri added. "The prince hates you. The king doesn't acknowledge your birthright. Why are you even in the Sentinels?"
"It's…it's something I've always meant to do since I was young. Become a knight."
Kuri placed her hands on her hips. "This isn't a children's game. A knight is a creature of war, of death."
"I know that."
"Then, why? Trying to impress your father?" Kuri cocked her head. "Or a girl?"
Once more, I was thankful for the helmet's refuge, although I wasn't sure which suggestion was more embarrassing.
"Well, there is a girl," I admitted.
Kuri smirked. "A rogue you met on the streets?"
"Not a rogue," I said. "Open up, Mira," I whispered.
The helmet split open, earning me a mouthful of fetid air. I didn't flinch, though, and stared right back at Kuri.