by Narro, B. T.
Terren and Zoke fought the Krepps, though they were reluctant to kill them, using their weapons only to defend themselves and keep the Krepps from coming through to Vithos.
Zoke found it difficult to keep himself protected without killing the Krepp in return. The enemy’s blade found his arm and cut him deeply, nearly making him drop his sword.
Vithos pained the Krepp before he could strike Zoke again. Zoke killed him soon after.
“Push them back!” Terren yelled. “Keep them alive.”
Zoke tried to find an opening to kick the new Krepp in front of him, but his injuries were making everything more difficult. Steffen came to Zoke’s side and used his weapon to threaten the enemy into moving away from both of them. Soon Zoke was on the offensive, driving the Krepp back with Steffen’s help.
They were nearly to Doe, and that’s when the massive Slugari decided to cast anyway. Zoke didn’t even see the fireball coming. He just noticed Steffen ducking right before the Krepp in front of him was struck and then barreled into Zoke. The same happened to the Krepp in front of Terren, Zoke realized as he and Terren found themselves on the ground back where Effie was standing.
But Vithos was still there, before Doe now, and the psychic had his palm so close it was nearly touching Doe’s face. Doe growled and screamed. Krepps started coming from everywhere. Vithos had to lift his other hand to stop one enemy from reaching him. He couldn’t kill Doe with his dagger even though he was close enough to do so. There were too many Krepps still defending their leader.
Camouflaged from bodies covering the ground, Steffen jumped up in front of Doe and yelled as he used both hands to implant his sword in the Slugari’s face, just between his eyes.
Doe’s head and arms went limp. His body slouched.
Vithos had his hands up, taking all the Krepps nearby with psyche. Cleve, Alex, and other warriors were there in a breath, killing all those around Vithos and Steffen, Terren and Zoke running in to join them.
Chapter 41:
CLEVE
Victory didn’t come suddenly as it had the last time the Krepps attacked. It wasn’t clear to Cleve that they’d won until long after it was over. There weren’t many enemies from Tenred left, and there were even less Krepps. Those from Tenred let down their weapons and surrendered. The Krepps tried to run, but all were killed before they could escape.
Tegry Hiller had been captured. Cleve watched with delight as the detained King of Tenred was escorted east, toward Kyrro City where he surely would be hung.
Cleve was the only one of his friends who didn’t need treatment for battle wounds. Reela had reinjured her knee and was unable to put any weight on it. Effie had a gash along her stomach that needed tending before she bled to death. Steffen had an arrow in his thigh and collapsed when the fighting was over. He was carried out on a mobile bed like Cleve’s other roommates.
Cleve still couldn’t believe that Steffen was the one who killed Doe, earning himself a title. The little bastard had jumped out of nowhere just before Cleve could get there and finish what Vithos started.
Vithos had been cut along his arms, legs, torso, everywhere except his face. Though, none of them were deep enough to be life-threatening like the cut on Effie’s stomach.
Zoke had to be in the most pain, his legs and palms burned. Yet the Krepp still refused to be carried. With an arm around his sister, he walked off the battlefield.
Terren suffered a gash under his chin, and he and Alex had cuts on their hands and arms. But of the injured Cleve saw, only Alex had claw marks. They were deep down his cheek.
When Rek fell, he didn’t get up like the rest of them. Terren explained that he’d died instantly from Doe’s fireball. Vithos was almost killed from a second fireball while he tried to get Rek up, but Terren pulled him to safety just before it hit. Cleve hadn’t seen Rek’s body. He could feel sadness swelling at the bottom of his stomach, but he held it down there, refusing to let it surface.
Cleve helped Terren remove his sword from one of the Dajrik’s legs. Thousands of bodies covered the ground. Cleve gave them one last look before following his uncle back to the Academy.
“How many did you kill?” Terren asked.
Cleve shrugged. “A hundred, maybe. What about you?”
“I lost track around eighty, though Vithos helped with many of my kills.” Terren put his arm around Cleve’s shoulders. “Dex would be proud of us, and not just because of this battle. You’ve grown up. I told you living with three others would be a good idea, and you didn’t believe me.” Terren smiled as he shook Cleve’s shoulder lightly.
Cleve smiled back, but then he frowned when he realized it was time to tell his uncle he would be leaving.
“I’m going to Goldram after everything’s settled here.”
“Back to Goldram? For what reason?”
“Once the war there is over, the Takarys are coming here to take Ovira. I’m going to do everything I can to stop that…and there are people there who need my help.”
“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised about the Takarys. Does this mean you’ll be fighting there?”
“Most likely,” Cleve said, “though I haven’t figured out much else yet.”
“Are you asking me to give you permission?”
Cleve hadn’t even thought of it.
Terren continued. “You know, only the headmaster of the Academy can grant a student permission to leave the school. Otherwise, you’re bound to stay by the contract you signed.”
“I’m sure the King would allow me to leave if you don’t, and I’m going to need a ship from him anyway—”
“I was joking,” Terren said. “I won’t stop you from leaving if that’s what you want. In fact, I’ll send a message to King Kerr about the boat to get the conversation started. I just would like to have heard you ask me for something. It’s been so long since you did. I miss the days when you were younger. Perhaps I’ll have a child now that the war has ended, start a family.”
“You’ll need a woman to put up with you first,” Cleve teased.
Terren laughed. For a while, they walked in silence.
“Thank you, uncle.”
“For what?” Terren asked.
Cleve lowered his head as he looked Terren in the eye, knowing his uncle already knew the answer to that.
Terren’s eyebrows arched. He grew a smile. “For what, Cleve?”
For training me, for allowing me to keep my father’s bow, for forcing me to live with others…for taking care of me as if I were your child. “You’re going to make me say it?”
“Yes.”
“Fine.” Cleve sighed. “Thank you…for everything.”
Terren stopped and extended his arms. They hugged.
“You’re welcome. Though, it’s a shame. I was looking forward to you winning the Redfield competition for your grade. You probably could even beat the third-year victor, whoever it is.”
“That’s still happening this year?”
“At the end, yes. I don’t suppose it would convince you to stay?”
Cleve shook his head. “It only makes leaving more painful.”
Cleve visited his friends in the medical building. Reela’s bed was the first he came to.
“There’s no chemist with you?” Cleve asked, concerned.
“They checked me when I got here. My knee’s my worst injury. None of my other cuts or bruises will amount to anything.” But she was holding the side of her stomach where a bandage had been taped over her. “I’m fine, Cleve,” she assured him, touching his hand. “Check on the others for me? I haven’t heard anything about Rek or Vithos.”
Cleve’s heart fell out of his chest.
Reela’s face twisted. “No,” she uttered. “Who? Don’t tell me both of them.”
“Rek,” Cleve answered.
As he watched Reela start to cry, he felt his own wall coming down. He sank to his knees and held her close as they both wept. Rek wouldn’t be coming to Goldram with him. He’d never see the
Elf smile again.
Chapter 42:
EFFIE
Two days passed while Effie was stuck in the medical building. Chemists treated the wound on her stomach, closing her up with stitches when they were done. It was the most painful experience she’d felt in her life, and the agony came back every time she twisted or stretched her back. They watched for signs of infection, telling her she’d have to take a caregelow potion to combat it. The threat of that was enough to make her prevent the infection with her own willpower.
Even Steffen was back on his feet before she was. But she still considered herself lucky. There were many who came into the medical building and succumbed to their wounds, the young woman in the bed beside Effie being one of them. Even caregelow potions couldn’t treat her injuries, the worst being a punctured lung. For a full day the girl held on to life, her frightened breathing reminding Effie of her own problem that came back each night she slept there.
She was thankful for Alex, who never left her side. Every time she started to worry, he kissed her and told her she would be fine. Reela joined him the second day, though she couldn’t stand long on her injured knee. Cleve and Steffen visited often, Vithos as well. Even Terren came by to shake her hand, though he did that to everyone in the medical building. Still, Effie felt honored when he thanked her and said, “Without your help, we might never have taken down those Dajriks.”
Steffen received the most praise, though, for killing Doe. Even though Effie had seen it for herself, it was hard to believe, and it especially seemed that way for Cleve. Every time he was near when Steffen was praised for it, Effie could hear him grumbling to himself. Steffen was always humble to the compliments, saying he was just lucky to be in the right spot.
The day Effie was released from the medical building, the Redfield bell called everyone to the stadium. There, Terren held a memorial for those who’d died. He read from a scroll, listing every student and instructor who fell during battle. There had to be hundreds of names on the list. Looking around the stadium, it seemed half as full as usual.
Terren asked everyone to stand and hold their right hand over their chest. After a moment of silence, he continued.
“This memorial is just for those of the Academy who fell. There will be another memorial for everyone who fought and gave their lives. It’ll take place in Kyrro City a week from now so that all the friends and families of those we’ve lost can be together. But there’s one comrade I’d like to mention right now whose friends and family are in this stadium. He didn’t go to the Academy, though he used to teach here. Many of you have heard of him; some even had the pleasure of meeting him. His name was Rek Worender, and he was Vithos and Reela’s brother. Without everything he did, hundreds, possibly thousands more of our allies would’ve fallen. He was an incredibly powerful psychic, but even more than that—he was determined to fight for what he believed in, no matter the cost. He’ll always be in my thoughts.”
Effie felt tears falling as she listened to Reela crying softly. Vithos pulled her head onto his shoulder.
“And I would like to honor Welson Kimard,” Terren said. “He was a good king who died unjustly.”
They continued to stand with their hand over their hearts, more people starting to weep.
“I’ll now proceed to other announcements,” Terren said. Everyone sat. “Tegry Hiller has been tried and executed. Our own king, James Kerr, has sent men and women through the Fjallejon Pathway to take Tenred’s castle. Kyrro will control the territory from now on. Those from Tenred who fought and surrendered have been imprisoned. They’ll be tried as a group. Knowing James Kerr, I would like to assume none of them will be executed.”
A few students gestured and hooted in disagreement. Terren held up his arms to quiet them.
“Listen to me,” he said. “Many of those who fought for Tenred are young men and women, just like yourselves. They were thrown into a war they didn’t start and fought for what they believed was right. Many of them were misguided. We’ve won, and soon we’ll control Tenred. There’s no need for more death.”
Someone raised his hand. Terren pointed to him, and the young man stood. He was on the other side of the stadium, so Effie couldn’t hear his question. But when he was done, Terren repeated it loud enough for everyone to hear.
“He says that if we don’t punish those who fight against us, they might be inclined to do so again. My answer to that is this: That struggle to maintain power is what helped lead to this war in the first place. Every day for months, all of you have been taught to kill, so I can understand how it’s hard to allow our enemies to live. But it’s time to let go of death as a solution. This rage to see our enemies die will subside with or without their necks in a noose. It might be a week or even a year, but it will happen. It’s time to realize that there’s more honor in finding peaceful solutions than fighting.”
Terren went quiet.
“That brings me to my next announcement,” he said. “The awarding of titles. The purpose is not to honor killing our enemies, but to acknowledge bravery, tenacity, and skill—for without these three traits, we’re nothing but stupid Krepps chasing after a Slugari in the middle of battle.”
Effie laughed, as did many others. It was true—she’d seen Krepps practically throw away their lives in their rush to eat Leo. He’d survived, thankfully, along with most of the Slugari.
Terren began to list students. He asked them to come to the center where Warrior Sneary presented them with a scroll that Effie knew to be a certificate of their title.
The first person, Effie didn’t recognize. He was given the title “of Justice” for stopping Tegry Hiller from escaping.
But the second person was Cleve. As he walked down the aisle between the rows of benches, Terren announced, “For killing the other Slugari leading the Krepps long before battle began, and saving us all the trouble of dealing with two monstrous Slugari at once, he is now Cleve Polken, Beast Slayer.”
Effie had never seen Cleve so happy. His teeth showed in a wide grin while she and others applauded for him.
Terren called Steffen next. “For slaying Doe during battle, Steffen has also received the title of Beast Slayer.”
Cleve shook his hand as the two crossed by each other.
Steffen Duroby, Beast Slayer, Effie said herself. And I figured the only beasts he ever would slay were deranged rats. She laughed to herself and clapped loudly for him, extremely proud.
Zoke’s name was called. To Effie’s surprise, people stood and cheered with great enthusiasm, whistling and hollering.
She was curious why everyone was so thrilled. But then she heard Terren’s announcement and realized what it was. Zoke had become a symbol to them.
“Zoke, for all your struggles to get here, and going against your own kind to fight for what you believe in, you’ll now be called Zoke the Idol. We wish every Krepp was more like you and your sister.”
The applause for Zoke was the loudest yet. He stood next to Terren, saying something. Terren nodded with a smile and held up his arms for everyone to quiet.
“Zoke has something to share.”
Holding his certificate tightly, Zoke’s eyes found Vithos in the crowd. “Without Vithos, I could’ve been one of the ignorant Krepps invading Kyrro rather than defending it. It was he who convinced me to truly think about who I am and what I want. This is a privilege other Krepps don’t get. We’re taught not to be curious. We’re spat at when we speculate. We’re told to endure, never to enjoy. And even though Vithos grew up around the Krepps, learning the same lessons as we did, he was different. No amount of threats or punishments ever stopped Vithos from being who he is. If anyone should be idolized, it’s him. Thank you for what you’ve done for me, Vithos.”
Effie saw that Vithos had been moved to tears. She stood and clapped, as did the rest of them.
Other titles were awarded for successful missions, none of which Effie had known about. They were all given to third-year students.
But then
her name was called, followed by Reela, Steffen, Alex, Zoke, and Vithos. As they descended toward the center, Reela limping and holding Vithos’ arm for support, Terren spoke.
“When this group went with me to the Slugari colony, the last thing anyone expected was for us to encounter battle. But not only did we face Krepps within the underground colony, we fought back ambushers from Tenred on the Fjallejon Mountains. If we’d fallen then or failed to help the Slugari escape the Krepps, we would’ve had to fight this war without Slugari, without their Bastial Energy, without their Dajrik, without their caregelows, without the explosion beneath Tenred, and without all of the other assistance they’ve given us. If Liaison Wilfre, Welson Kimard, or I knew how dangerous this mission was going to be, we definitely wouldn’t have taken first-years.” Terren chuckled, and so did his audience.
“But Effie, Steffen, Reela, and Alex are exceptional young men and women. I saw it during the mission, and we’ve continued to see it from them in everything they do. They have something special that can’t be taught. There are no bounds to what they can do with their skills. It’s for this reason that they—along with Zoke and Vithos—have received the title of ‘the Limitless.’ ”
Effie could feel herself glowing red. From the stadium’s center, the applause was thunderous and overwhelming.
As they started back up toward their seats, she heard Zoke ask, “But I already have a title. What does this mean?”
“You have two now,” Reela informed him. “You’re Zoke of Idols and Zoke the Limitless.”
“I don’t think Krepps will acknowledge these titles,” Zoke said softly.
“You’re leaving?” Reela asked, surprised.
“Tomorrow,” Zoke said. “Sister and I are going to live with other Krepps in Merejic. Do you know where it is?”
“I do,” Reela said solemnly.
Effie was sad as well. They filed into their seats along the bench.
“You don’t have to go,” Steffen told Zoke.