“It’s made out of enchanted glass, moron,” Rapunzel said in a smug tone. He raised his chin and gave Ashe a condescending look. “I assure you that it’s indestructible. The sword took on that form because it suits you best. That sword is the one you’re destined to wield.”
“A glass sword,” Juleka breathed out in a giddy tone, her blue eyes sparkling beneath her mask. “Long ago, there was a hero who saved Glass Kingdom from a great evil. That’s how the Kingdom got its namesake. That hero supposedly wielded a glass sword. Ashe, this means you are destined to become a Knight of Glass Kingdom.”
Ashe gave Juleka a skeptical look. “I can’t become a knight. I’m a-” He bit his lip and cut himself off.
“It is your destiny,” Juleka insisted in an adamant tone. “You will save Glass Kingdom one day.”
Ashe let out a bitter laugh. “Me? Save Glass Kingdom? I can’t even save myself from…” he trailed off and coughed into his hand. “You’re wrong about me, Julie. My father may have been a hero, but I’m not. I’m not a good person.”
“Yes you are,” Juleka said passionately. “You’ve saved my life. Twice.”
A pink tinge rose to Ashe’s cheeks at what Juleka was saying. “I didn’t plan to. Things just sort of happened that way.”
“That’s a mighty fine sword, Ashe!” Aurelion said, slapping Ashe on the back in an effort to lighten the mood. “Let’s go outside and test it out, shall we?”
Ashe shrugged. “Sure.”
“Punzie, I’m going to borrow that sword you made me,” Aurelion said, walking over to a wall that was covered in swords that were on display.
“Go right ahead,” Rapunzel said, an amused glint in his green eyes. “It’s yours, even if you never use it because you feel like it’s cheating.”
Aurelion grabbed a double-edged broadsword that was the same size as Ashe’s, but it was made out of silvery steel. Apparently, Aurelion wouldn’t be using the massive great sword that was strapped to his back.
At that moment, an object in the room captured Juleka’s attention, and she ran towards Rapunzel. “Oh, is that…?” Upon seeing Juleka running towards him, Rapunzel instinctively panicked and dove down to hide behind a chair. Juleka picked up a canvas and started to admire the painting. “A unicorn!”
“Did you just hide from a girl?” Ashe let out a rusty laugh. Aurelion joined him, letting out a laugh that was loud and boisterous.
Rapunzel flushed out of embarrassment and stood up. “I…thought she was going to hug me or attack me or something.”
“Pathetic,” Ashe gasped out as he continued to laugh.
“Did you paint this yourself?” Juleka asked Rapunzel.
“Yes, Milady,” Rapunzel admitted shyly.
“I paint too. However did you manage to produce this particular shade of pink paint?” Juleka asked curiously.
“I used a combination of rose petals, daylilies, and basil leaves,” Rapunzel informed her. “Using a mortar and pestle I grinded the petals into a fine powder which I mixed with egg yolks, vinegar and water.”
“Oh?” Juleka raised an eyebrow. “I usually use elderberries and strawberries to make pink paint. What about that shade of yellow? The unicorn’s horn is magnificent. It looks gold.”
“I used a combination of sunflower petals, bay leaves, and dandelion flowers for that,” Rapunzel said with a lopsided smile forming on his face. He rarely got to talk to anyone about one of the few passions he had in life - painting.
“Fascinating,” Juleka gushed. “I usually use turmeric, marigolds and celery leaves to make yellow paint.”
“Well, it looks like they’re getting along splendidly,” Aurelion said, looking pleased. “I guess we have nothing to worry about in leaving them alone together. Let’s go, Ashe.”
Nothing to worry about? Ashe thought bitterly. She never speaks to me so easily. Look at her now, laughing and probably smiling like a child. Rapunzel obviously puts her at ease…whereas I make her nervous and unsettled.
Aurelion noticed Ashe’s hesitation and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. Julie is in safe hands. Punzie would never harm her.”
“Pfftt.” Ashe let out a snort. “Like I care.”
Aurelion gave Ashe a knowing look before turning and walking towards the window. The two young men used Rapunzel’s hair that was secured to a horn cleat on the windowsill to climb down the tower.
Ashe still felt uneasy about leaving Juleka and Rapunzel alone together, but then caught himself in his surprising thoughts. Why do I even care? No. I don’t care…why should I care about that strange girl? It’s not like I love her or anything. I barely know her.
Aurelion removed the great sword strapped to his back and tossed it aside. It landed on the grassy ground with a heavy thud. The hero then unsheathed the sword Rapunzel had made him and placed both hands on its hilt. The sword started to glow with a golden light and pulse with magical energy.
“Every enchanted weapon works differently,” Aurelion began to explain. “Mine absorbs sunlight and turns it into magical energy. For example, if I were fighting monsters with this sword while in a dungeon the magical energy inside the sword would eventually run out and I’d be left with an ordinary sword. Below ground the sword would be unable to replenish its magic. Now, unsheathe your sword, Ashe.”
Ashe obediently unsheathed the Glass Sword and placed both hands on its hilt. The sword began to glow with a blue-tinged, silvery light and pulse with magical energy. Ashe looked down at the Glass Sword in awe, and his golden eyes sparkled. He could feel its power, and that power was now his. It was a heady feeling, having that much power at his fingertips.
“Let’s see what that sword of yours can do!” Aurelion swung his sword forward and a fireball was sent flying Ashe’s way.
A fireball! Ashe thought in astonishment. What should I do? A sword can’t block fire.
Ashe was going to dodge the attack, but he had the gut feeling he should block the attack with the flat of his blade instead. Ashe flipped the sword in his grip and raised it up before him. The fireball hit Ashe’s Glass Sword and immediately shot back in Aurelion’s direction.
“Whoa!” Aurelion dodged the fireball and dove out of the way. The fireball hit a boulder that exploded, sending large chunks of rock flying through the air.
Ashe looked down at the Glass Sword with a bewildered expression on his face. What did it just do?
With a wide grin on his face Aurelion pushed himself up off the ground and dusted himself off. “I’m pretty sure your sword has the ability of Magic Reflection. That’s a very rare ability. In theory any magical attack sent your way will simply be sent back at the caster. Let’s test that theory, shall we?” Aurelion slashed his sword at Ashe again and again, sending a barrage of fireballs Ashe’s way.
Ashe stood his ground and blocked the fireballs with his Glass Sword. The fireballs instantly started to head back towards Aurelion. Aurelion’s wide smile faltered at the sight of six fireballs headed his way. “Yeah, it looks like it works. Oh, shit!” The Monster Hunter dodged and dove out of the way from the fireballs, and was forced to roll across the ground as the fireballs hit the ground where he’d been only seconds before.
For such a large man Aurelion was quite nimble. Ashe noted with cocky amusement. He smiled smugly as he stared down at the Glass Sword. With this sword I’ll be able to enter the Glass Coliseum and kick some serious ass.
“Don’t get too cocky, Ashe!” Aurelion chided as if reading Ashe’s thoughts and suddenly the hero was right in front of him and swinging his sword at Ashe in a horizontal slash.
Ashe quickly raised his sword and blocked the attack. But his eyes widened at the ferocity of the attack. He’d almost gotten cut in half!
“Good. You managed to block my attack. I’m impressed,” Aurelion said with a challenging glint in his blue eyes. “Let’s see how these self-taught swordsmanship skills of yours can hold up against my skills.” It wasn’t very often that Aurelion encountered a wort
hy opponent, and he was greatly enjoying this fight.
“You could have killed me just now!” Ashe snapped in irritation.
“That was to teach you a lesson to never lower your guard even when in front of a friend or fellow hero,” Aurelion said, his expression turning serious. “The matches fought at the Glass Coliseum can be to the death. Killing your opponent is allowed. Those high stakes are why the nobles like to place bets on the outcomes of those matches in the first place. Determining whether someone will live or die is exhilarating for them. Although, it’s become more fashionable these days for a fighter to show mercy and spare his or her opponent’s life.”
Aurelion had a point. His opponent in the arena wouldn’t show mercy or wait for him to catch his breath. They’d be going for the kill, most likely. When had Ashe gotten so soft? Hanging around with these do-gooders was bad for his health.
Ashe took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and attacked Aurelion. The Monster Hunter blocked Ashe’s initial attack and his ensuing sword strikes with very little movement. Aurelion also appeared to be using minimal effort. The difference in their skill level was suddenly extremely obvious, and the gap between them was as vast as a chasm.
Aurelion was a seasoned swordfighter. The greatest hero in all of Fantasia. He’d honed and perfected his skills while hunting down and killing some of the fiercest monsters that had ever existed. “Not bad, Ashe.” Aurelion was smiling again. “A lesser man probably would have been defeated by you by now. Unfortunately, I’m not a lesser man. My turn.” Aurelion went on the offensive.
Ashe was hard pressed to block Aurelion’s swift and powerful attacks, and was being pushed back. Aurelion’s bulging muscles flexed as he swung his sword horizontally at Ashe.
Ashe raised his sword to block the attack even though his instincts were screaming at him to dodge instead. I’m not a coward. Ashe told himself sternly. The force of the blow had Ashe’s feet skidding backwards across the ground and leaving small trenches behind.
Ashe’s sword was vibrating in his hands from the force of the blow and it hurt Ashe’s hands to keep a hold on his sword. Then with a move Ashe was barely able to follow with his eyes Aurelion disarmed him and sent his sword flying up into the air.
When Ashe returned his attention to Aurelion - the Monster Hunter’s sword was pointed at his throat. Ashe gulped and the tip of Aurelion’s sword brushed against his Adam’s apple. “How did you do that?” Ashe panted out.
“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you. That’s the entire point of us sparring together,” Aurelion said. “To improve your skills and get you ready for the coliseum. Your skills aren’t bad for being self-taught, but there is much room for improvement. You need to learn form and technique. Also, trust your instincts. They told you to dodge just now, right? Why didn’t you?” The Monster Hunter gave Ashe a scrutinizing look.
“I…didn’t want to be a coward,” Ashe explained, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. “I thought I could handle it.”
“You’re not being a coward if you avoid a strike you know will kill you,” Aurelion said. “I’ve noticed that you have a high threshold for pain. That can be dangerous. You need to learn to listen to your body and know when to stop.”
“I know when to stop,” Ashe grumbled. Aurelion looked down at Ashe’s hands pointedly. Ashe looked down at his hands and noted they were red and shaking.
“I’m here to train you,” Aurelion said softly. “Not torture you.”
“You don’t have to go easy on me because of…that,” Ashe spat. Shit. It really irritated him that these guys knew he’d been tortured. They probably thought he was weak because of it. Someone else would have run away from the Tremaines’ household long ago. But Ashe was only there because he’d chosen to remain. He wanted to buy his freedom from Lord Tremaine and prove the man wrong about him. “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger.”
Aurelion let out a heavy sigh. “That may be true, but I don’t like seeing my friends in pain.”
“We’re not friends,” Ashe said automatically. “I don’t have friends.”
“You remind me of how Rapunzel used to be!” Aurelion chuckled. “You know, you two are a lot alike. That’s probably why you fight all the time. I’ve decided to be your friend whether you like it or not!” The hero flashed a dazzling grin at Ashe.
Ashe flinched at the bright smile the hero was giving him. “That’s not how friendship works, you meathead!”
Aurelion reached out and ruffled Ashe’s hair. “Come on, don’t be so cold.”
“Why would you want to be friends with me anyways?” Ashe asked.
“Because I know you need a friend. I can tell you’re lonely,” Aurelion explained. “People in need…I just can’t let them be. Heroes tend to be busybodies. I suppose that’s why I decided to become one in the first place.”
“I don’t need friends,” Ashe said stubbornly. “And I’m not lonely.”
“It’s admirable to be able to tackle life’s battles alone,” Aurelion said. “But life is easier with friends to help you out when things get tough. You’re not alone anymore, Ashe. You have no reason to fear because I have your back!”
“Meathead swordsman…” Ashe shook his head, but the corner of his mouth was twitching. Aurelion seemed nice enough, and sincere in his desire to be Ashe’s friend, but Ashe wasn’t stupid enough to trust his offer of friendship. If you keep people at a distance then you can’t get hurt. I don’t plan on getting hurt again. Ashe silently reminded himself.
“Speaking of new friends…” Aurelion glanced around the clearing. “I wonder what is keeping Prince Snow Flurris.” The hero scratched his head out of befuddlement. “I did say I was going to train him too, didn’t I?”
“I figured that flashy playboy would have shown up by now,” Ashe said with a frown. “Well, he did say he was a lover and not a fighter. Maybe he decided to blow you off.”
“Perhaps, some peril has befallen our new friend Prince Snow Flurris! We must go to his aid immediately!” Aurelion declared, raising a fist before him in an adamant gesture.
“Did you hear a thing I just said?” Ashe groused.
Aurelion stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled loudly. “Fenix!”
A loud roar answered him followed by the sound of flapping wings. A few minutes later, Aurelion’s dragon came into sight. It swooped down and landed a few feet away from Aurelion. Aurelion mounted the dragon and gave Ashe an expectant look. “Well, what are you waiting for?”
“Oh, what the hell,” Ashe said as he started to climb up the side of the dragon’s body. “Let’s go see what that fop is up to.”
Once Ashe was safely on the saddle behind Aurelion, the hero leaned over to shout in the dragon’s ear: “Take us to Apple City, Fenix!” The dragon let out an answering roar before heading in the direction of Apple Kingdom.
To be continued in…Chapter 5:
Chapter 5:
“More wine!” Prince Snow Flurris raised his goblet in an expectant manner. The redheaded witch that was seated next to him in the booth flicked her finger at a wine bottle that was sitting on the table. Muttering a simple levitation spell she caused the wine bottle to float over to Snow’s glass and pour more wine into it.
“Thank you, Elvira,” Snow raised his goblet in the witch’s direction before taking a sip. He let his eyes rake over Elvira’s curvaceous form. She was wearing a tight, red dress with belled sleeves that was low-cut, and left very little the imagination. The pointed, wide-brimmed hat that was sitting on her head was a matching apple-red.
“You’re very welcome, Your Highness,” Elvira purred, her emerald-green eyes sparkling with mischief. Prince Snow Flurris was obviously depressed to be drinking this early in the day, and she was just dying to know why. Was he perhaps finally lovesick over a woman?
“You must try one of these strawberries,” the blonde witch, who was seated at the booth with them, said to Snow. “They’re so…juicy.”
Snow turned to face
her and obediently opened his mouth so that the blonde could plop the strawberry inside. He chewed, swallowed, and offered the witch a lopsided smile. “That was delicious, Endora. Thank you.” Endora beamed at the praise and her cheeks turned pink.
“Oh, I can’t stand this!” a petite witch with purple hair suddenly slammed her hands down on the table. “When are you going to tell us what’s been bothering you this entire time?”
Snow regarded the tiny witch with raised eyebrows. She was extremely cute. The witch had her purple hair styled into two pigtails and was wearing a frilly, purple and black dress. The butterflies that decorated the pointed hat she was wearing were flapping their wings slowly.
Apparently, Tabitha had less patience than her two friends when it came to gossip. Snow let out a defeated sigh, and stared down into his goblet of wine in a depressed manner. “It’s just…Ashe is so cool and mysterious. I really want to be his friend. I should have known that wouldn’t be possible. I never can make male friends. Men hate me.”
Snow was disappointed that Ashe hadn’t wanted to travel to Rapunzel’s Tower together. He supposed now that Ashe knew where Rapunzel’s Tower was he no longer needed him. Ashe also didn’t seem to be very interested in making friends. He was completely focused on…well, whatever his mysterious goal was.
Snow was still trying to figure it out. But it had something to do with getting revenge on whoever had given him those scars, and making a lot of money. Snow admired Ashe for being so strong. Because Snow’s magic didn’t work for him other people always had to save his pathetic ass.
Tabitha threw her hands up into the air. “You’re pining away for some guy? We thought you were lovesick over a woman. I am officially bored with this conversation.” She pouted. “Hmph!”
Elvira reached out and placed a hand on Snow’s arm in a comforting gesture. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll come around. He did save your life. That has to count for something.”
“Yeah…” Snow’s bleak demeanor brightened slightly. “He did save my life. Although, he just did that because he wanted my enchanted sword…” Snow’s shoulders sagged.
Ashe and the Glass Sword Page 10