He was reassured that certain things take time though and knew that he should hold his head up high over the results of his hard work so far.
When asked what he planned to do next, he commented that he was too stuffed and exhausted to think straight, but would have an answer in a few days.
Little did Keenth know that the final part of his training meant allowing his body to recover.
As the villagers made their ways home, Kendra approached an unexpecting Keenth with a particular proposition. She told him to follow her into the forest and he silently agreed.
After quietly making their way through miles of woods, Kendra and Keenth finally reached their destination.
Keenth looked on as Kendra prepared torches to help them navigate through a nearby hidden cavern.
Once inside, Keenth was surprised to see a small group of villagers waiting for them.
“Took you long enough,” a young man says, grunting as he sharpens his spear. “I figured you of all people would have a problem if anyone showed up late.”
“Ah, shut it, dummy. You all knew I was bringing Keenth over and I didn’t want to risk any of the others trailing us,” Kendra replies. “That said, thanks for holding things down in the meantime, Richard.”
Keenth was shocked that Kendra could casually talk to such a physically imposing young man such as Richard.
On top of that, none of the others in attendance seemed all too surprised by it.
Seeing various weapons scattered alongside dozens of books around the room, Keenth could barely hide his confusion.
“What? You act like you’ve never seen a library before? Richard’s the name! Nice to meet you,” he says kindly. “Go ahead and grab a seat, bro. We’ve got a ton to talk about, now that you two are here.”
“Ah, right. Keenth, Richard. Richard, Keenth. This freeloader comes in and out of Azoco without much notice, so that’s why you didn’t meet him until now. What else, what else…Oh, that old crab over there is Weiss. He found you and brought you to safety, so be sure to thank him,” Kendra says as she sits on the edge of the table where everyone was gathered.
“Seriously? Thank you, Sir. By any chance, was there anyone else that you saved or…”
“Sorry son, but you were the only one that I was able to bring back,” Weiss quietly responds. “The fact that we found you alive was nothing short of a miracle.”
Keenth nodded in understanding as Kendra continued on. Richard and the others made up a committee of sorts that supported the village from behind the scenes.
Being more in touch with the events surrounding Tortuga and the rest of Hasania gave this group the opportunity to do the best for Azoco within their means.
It was obvious that while Lady Aida was seen as the respected figurehead of the village, but Kendra was obviously the face of this faction. Keenth was particularly attentive when the conversation was redirected on the events that took place on the Prospear Bridge.
“I normally keep Azoco away from what goes on in Tortuga, but once I sensed what was going on, I reached out to Richard as soon as I could,” Kendra explains. “There was something so bizarre with what was going on. Keenth, I remember what you told me about how you and the others were fighting. But looking back then, I couldn’t get a sense of who you were up against…”
Confused, Keenth thought back on the events leading up to him arriving in Azoco Village. In his mind, there was no doubt that he was definitely clashing with hostile opponents between the attacks on Training Academy and the Prospear Bridge.
From there, Richard took the opportunity to explain things from his perspective.
“Believe it or not, you fought alongside a few warriors that I knew, Keenth. I doubt you had the opportunity to have formal introductions, but by the time I made it the bridge…” Richard began. “Look we’re not bringing this up for the sake of talking in circles, but don’t feel as if you are alone in this.”
“What do you mean? Weiss said I was the only one that he found, remember?”
“Right, but he found you days after the battle. How do you suppose you made it off the bridge anyway?”
“Hmm…It’s a bit foggy,” Keenth says as he thinks back. “The last thing I remember is when I was telling Benjamin and the others that—”
“Wait, Benjamin? As in Benjamin Palorro? You fought alongside him??” Richard exclaims.
“Um, yeah that’s his name. Young guy? Has a thing for fire? Do you know him?” Keenth says, surprised.
“It’s Efir! And know him? I helped train the guy!” Richard proudly shouts. “You have nothing to worry about, Keenth. If you fought along with him, then I’m sure that he and the others are fine!”
“Seriously? That’s amazing,” Keenth says, relieved. “I…Well, we need to go find them then, don’t we?”
“We’re sure they’re all fine for now, Keenth. But that’s not what we brought you here to talk about,” Kendra says. “There’s something we need you to confirm. Take a look at this and let us know if it looks familiar.”
Keenth made his way to a slab Kendra was pointing at, only to be horrified at what he was seeing: A fully armored warrior from the attacks on the Academy and the Prospear Bridge.
“Don’t worry, it won’t attack,” Kendra assures Keenth as she approaches.
“More specifically, your reaction confirmed everything that we needed to know. Look closely, Keenth. This is completely mechanical…You and the others were up against machines the whole time.”
“How is that even possible? The way they fought. The way they reacted. Sorry, but there has to be a mistake; there’s no way that they were machines, Kendra.”
“Think about it. You told me about the attack on the Academy and how they were unfazed by everything. I mean sure, you could brush it off like they were wearing masks or something, I’ll give you that. But how do you explain how their leader on the bridge shrugged off your attacks like they were nothing?”
Keenth was at a loss for words as Richard went on to explain their findings. There were not many clues of substance after LanTech and the local authorities closed off the surrounding area, but there was something especially peculiar about this armor.
“Word around the way is that their primary means of attacking is through explosives. Call it simple, but people refer to these things as Bombers,” Richard reveals. “Keenth, what makes this thing a cut above the rest is that its self-destruction mechanism was somehow disabled during your bout on the bridge.”
“Disabled how? We were pretty much fighting an uphill battle the whole time,” Keenth asks. “Maybe there’s another explanation for this?”
“No, trust me, I went through this machine myself and noticed that its sensors were frozen solid. The ice was so impressive that it took my Efir abilities to thaw it out properly,” Richard assures.
“Oh…That’s it! It must’ve been Beth! She definitely had the ability to do something like that,” a Keenth exclaims.
“Well, Keenth, it sounds like you had quite the crew to fight alongside,” Kendra says with a supportive smile. “Look, I know that this was a lot to throw on you in one night, but thanks for your help in figuring this out. Knowing this changes everything. I’ll bring you out here in a few days again, once you are well-rested.”
Keenth was a bit taken back by Kendra’s decision to end the meeting the way she did. Though he didn’t ask out loud, she eventually explained herself to Keenth on their way back to the village.
“I’m sure there is a lot for you to process right now, Keenth. I don’t want to force anything on you. We’re just trying to see what’s best for our village before the issue with the Bombers affects Azoco. You understand, don’t you?”
“Actually, I don’t. If there are people as powerful as you and the others, why aren’t you out there trying to stop the Bombers now? Don’t you care that people are getting killed out there?”
“We cared enough to take you in, didn’t we? Look, you may not get it, but we have to be sm
art about our abilities. There is no telling what’s out there and the last thing we need is to draw attention to ourselves. LanTech and most of the warriors keep their noses out of Azoco and I want it to stay that way.”
“I get it. I would be doing the same if we were back in Colonia. Sorry for speaking out of line, Kendra.”
“That’s Mama Kendra. And it’s fine. Speaking of Colonia, I have to ask you again. What do you plan to do from here? Are you sure you don’t want to head back there, or are you really sure about handling that Sage Haden business you told me about?”
“I’m not sure. I think I’ll need some time to think about it. Like you said, this is a lot to take in.”
“I get you. Look, just get your rest, and we’ll figure it out, Keenth.”
So Keenth took the time to rest up, and for quite a bit too. Three days later, Keenth starts his day, this time not flinching at cold water splashing him first thing in the morning. Instead, the sound of rain slowly brought him back to reality.
At first Keenth thought it was a bit strange because it hadn’t rained at all since he’d been in the village, but he didn’t dwell on it too much. Instead, he made his rounds before being greeted by a group of villagers.
The time had come for Keenth to make his decision. With a heavy heart, he informed them that he would be continuing his journey to Sage Haden.
Though bittersweet, many understood where he was coming from. Keenth thanked them for everything and promised he would return as soon as possible. With that, Lady Aida presented Keenth with a valuable treasure that left him speechless.
“Is this my sword? But how? I thought it was lost at Prospear Bridge.”
“Well, we thought so too, but Mr. Weiss and the others went back and didn’t leave a stone unturned until they found it for you,” Aida explains. “After all, we wouldn’t want you showing up to a Sage looking out of place or anything.”
“Wow, I can’t thank you all enough for everything you’ve done for me. To be honest, I don’t know what to expect, but I feel much more confident, thanks to my time here.”
“Don’t mention it, man. The pleasure was all ours,” Kendra replies, stretching her arms and letting out a yawn to the humor some of the villagers. “Give the Sage our best and just be sure to bring me back a shot glass on your way back!”
“Absolutely. Don’t you mention it,” Keenth exclaimed. “Actually, before I head out, Kendra, I—”
Before he could finish, a massive foreboding Auraen was felt not too far from the village. Aida commented on this to Kendra and the decision was made for the villagers to seek refuge in their respective homes.
Kendra asked Aida to keep an eye on the village while she went ahead to see things with her own eyes. Keenth, however, surprised them with the fact that he was able to sense all of this as well.
“I can feel it too...It’s a few miles outside of the village. If I head over now, that could buy you guys some time in case things go south,” Keenth says, drawing his sword.
“Are you crazy? You’ve improved, sure, but you have no idea what’s out there. This is something for us to handle,” Kendra protests. “We appreciate it, but this isn’t the first time that people have come our way looking for trouble.”
“I know, Kendra, I know. But there’s something familiar about this Auraen. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it feels like I’ve felt this before. Besides, I was leaving anyway and they’re technically out of the village, so it’s all fair game.”
Before Kendra could continue to go back and forth with Keenth, Lady Aida gave him their blessing to go ahead.
She told Kendra to have faith in Keenth and, as the leader of Azoco, it was her responsibility to protect the village and its people.
“Well, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Kendra says, extending her arm for a fist bump, only to be surprised by Keenth hugging her.
“Hey, hey! We’re not there yet, so don’t get all sentimental on me now.”
“Don’t worry. I learned a few things that’ll make you proud,” Keenth says as he departs.
With that, Keenth raced towards the outskirts of the village in an attempt to thwart the potential threats ahead. As he pressed forward, there was an undeniable sense of familiarity that could be felt down to his core.
Memories of his time at the Training Academy and his journey to the Sage came flooding in as Keenth moved forward until he noticed an uneasy fog covering the surrounding area.
The further he progressed, the more difficult it was for him to see ahead. It was around that time he heard a voice calling out to him.
“It’s funny who you randomly run into these days,” a mysterious voice states. “I would complain about the rain, but it’s my fault for not bringing an umbrella.”
“That voice,” Keenth thought to himself. “You’re—”
“Agent Fallon: James Fallon. It’s been quite a while, kid. What’s new?” Agent Fallon says as he slowly emerges from the fog.
“Can’t complain. Is there something I can help you with, Agent?”
“Help me? Maybe the news is slow to come out around here, but things have really gone to hell lately. If anything, I came all the way out here to help you, young man,” Agent Fallon sarcastically replies.
“If you’re talking about what happened at the Training Academy, thanks for your concern. But as you can see, I’m doing just fine. I’ll ask again a bit clearer: what do you want?” Keenth asks sternly.
“A bit moody today, are we? Well, since you insist, let’s talk. The incident at the Academy changed everything. We thought just about everyone didn’t make it out of there alive, but clearly you were fortunate enough to live another day.”
“Wait, what do you mean just about everyone?”
“Hey, now, the grown-up’s talking. From there, there was a little scene caused out on the Prospear Bridge not too long later. We looked into it and thought there wouldn’t be many survivors. But look at the stars, it turns out that you were not only an active participant in the skirmish, but was left unscathed as well.”
The tension increased as Keenth tried his best to maintain his composure. The forbidding fog slowly began to clear and Agent Fallon took a few steps forward. Keenth, renewed with the confidence afforded to him thanks to his training, moved forward as well.
“I would really appreciate it if you got to the point, Fallon.”
“Hey, you’ve got some nerve. I’ll give you that. But let’s quit the games. You are a LanTech trainee who failed to account for yourself, despite our efforts to ensure your well-being. Conversely, you’ve allied yourself with rebels and were involved in an incident that left several people dead and even more critically injured,” Agent Fallon sternly stated. “The fact of the matter is that you or your little friends out there have something that belongs to me. Something, as you probably understand, I can’t exactly leave unattended.”
“So, allow me to make things clear for you: Keenth Hedstrom, you are a person of interest. Now, drop your weapon or I will have to use aggressive measures to apprehend you.” Agent Fallon drew his sword.
Sensing Agent Fallon’s Auraen sharpening, Keenth firmly held his ground, with his sword directed squarely at the LanTech Agent.
Resolve reflected in his eyes as he felt how his training had prepared him specifically for this moment.
“Pretty bold to draw a weapon at a LanTech Official,” Agent Fallon says.
“Well it wouldn’t be the first time,” Keenth defiantly stated. “After all, I’m just defending myself from someone behind the Bomber attacks as far as I can tell.”
“Really, now? Wow. To think you would go and say all of that. Now that I think about it, the two of us did have a little session at the Academy, didn’t we? How about you show me if you learned any new tricks?,” Fallon said, signaling for Keenth to make his move.
Tightening his grip on his sword, Keenth’s Auraen wildly roared throughout the area, which was enough to even impress Agent Fallon.
“Well, would you look at that? I guess you aren’t all talk, after all. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re fixing to kill me dead right here and now!”
Knowing that the time for words was over, Keenth rushed towards Agent Fallon. His opponent was seemingly caught off guard, seeing how he did not even have the opportunity to properly ready his sword to defend himself.
As Keenth swiftly struck his blade down, he was surprised to see that his attack was blocked.
Agent Fallon had an arrogant smirk on his face as Keenth realized that there was someone between the two of them.
The dark black blade that blocked Keenth’s sword was eerily familiar. As he focused, he came to the soul crushing realization of who was ahead.
“…Paul?”
Chapter Eight
As the rain continued to pour down in the forest, Keenth distanced himself in an attempt to comprehend this turn of events.
Since he finds himself at a loss for words, Agent Fallon takes the opportunity to address what was at hand.
“What seems to be the problem? You aren’t so chatty all of a sudden,” Agent Fallon states. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think that you just saw a ghost or something.”
“P-Paul…But how?” an astonished Keenth asks. “You…I thought with what happened at the Academy that you…”
“Really? You really cared about who was left behind at the Academy? You definitely could’ve fooled me by the way you went off on your own program. But, hey, no worries, consider it water under the bridge,” Agent Fallon says as he draws his sword to Keenth’s surprise.
After carefully looking him over, Keenth noticed that Paul was armed with an intricate metal brace over his upper right arm and a bright silver band around his head which seemingly was the cause of the spiritless expression in his eyes.
“Fallon, you bastard! Just what the hell did you do to my friend?” Keenth demands, trying his best to keep himself under control. “Why would Paul be aligned with someone like you of all people?”
“Well, for one, I’m the one who saved your so-called friend. If anything, you should be thanking me,” Agent Fallon answered as he approached Paul. “Most of the others in your Academy weren’t as lucky as—”
Fighter's Fever: The Metallic Siege Page 11