“This wouldn’t have happened if you had just let me hit you when I first showed up,” Luke insists, his head throbbing.
“That’s the most idiotic thing anyone has ever said in my presence,” Lord Perrin swears, rubbing her chin. She cringes whenever her voice sends a whistle of air through the fresh gap in her front teeth. “Why would I let you hit me? Have I led you to believe that I’m a masochist?”
“No,” Luke sheepishly admits.
“You have until my face stops hurting to explain your actions. If you don’t then I will permanently damage you,” Lord Perrin threatens him. She draws a hand crossbow from her belt and aims it at Luke’s shoulder.
“You lied to me!” Luke shouts.
“I did nothing of the sort,” the red-haired woman contends.
“You’re right about me being an idiot. I can’t believe it took me this long to understand the real reason you were sent to train me,” Luke admits, sitting up and crossing his arms over his chest. “It wasn’t because my grandfather would have trouble training me. It was because our powers are similar. You can become one with the spirit of the wolf who ate you and I can merge with the spirit of the griffin I killed. You knew I would be able to channel a beast’s spirit, but you didn’t tell me the danger. As my teacher, you should have warned me that something could go wrong.”
“It was not my job to hold your hand,” Lord Perrin coldly states. “If you abuse your gift or let it go out of control then you have nobody to blame, but yourself.”
Luke leans forward, looking directly in Lord Perrin’s eyes. “I nearly destroyed my hometown because my enemy knew more about my gift than I did. He made me become a rampaging Sword Dragon by cornering me against its body and tricking me into accepting its spirit. You could have prevented this if you told me that I was a spirit channeler and not some single form shape-shifter.”
“So, the commotion that I heard was you,” she mentions, putting away her crossbow. “That is a shame, but it wouldn’t have made any difference whether I told you or not. It still would have happened.”
“It would not have happened. I would have been aware of the danger and refused dragon’s help,” Luke stubbornly argues.
“Did your enemy really trick you because he knew more about your power than you did?” Lord Perrin asks, her accusing stare making Luke uncomfortable.
“Of course he did! He knew what would happen if he cornered me against the Sword Dragon,” Luke contends, his frustration growing. He angrily flexes his fingers, fighting the temptation to restart their brawl. “It’s obvious that he tricked me if you would just listen.”
Lord Perrin walks toward Luke and makes a quick strike at Luke’s face with her palm. The half-elf rolls away from the attack and pushes off the ground with his hands to land on his feet. He is in mid-handspring, so Luke is unable to block the knee-strike to his gut. Luke starts to fall to his knees when a roundhouse kick slams into his chin, setting him back on his feet. He stands unsteadily while Lord Perrin roughly grabs him by the shirt collar.
The veteran forest tracker is mildly surprised when Luke abruptly twists in her hand, bending backwards with the top of his head pushed against her chest. Luke grabs her out-stretched arms and tries to flip over her shoulder. He hooks his arm around her neck, viciously slamming her onto his knee as he lands in a crouch. She can feel her limbs go numb as the force of the impact runs along her spine. Luke removes her hand from his shirt before stumbling back a few steps.
“What’s your point?” Luke gasps without waiting for Lord Perrin to say anything.
“It should be obvious if you look at what just happened,” Lord Perrin explains, getting to her feet and stretching her arms over her head. “I attacked you without warning and you got hit. If you do not see the danger coming then you are not ready for it and you take a beating. You scramble around, taking hits until your panic-induced instincts kick in. This . . . spontaneity in combat is both your strength and your weakness. If your opponent has never encountered you before then they will be caught off-guard by your actions. The danger appears when your opponent has already fought with you or even witnessed you in combat. They will know that you are prone to untraditional tactics once cornered. It is not difficult to use such knowledge to one’s advantage and turn your abilities against you.”
“Then, how do I prevent it from happening again?” Luke asks. He rummages in his pockets to find a handkerchief, which he uses to clean off the blood spread across his chin.
“Simple. You don’t let it happen again,” the red-haired woman declares. “There isn’t special trick to it, child. You simply never let it happen again.”
“Then, what is the point of the gift Uli has given me? If I don’t use it then it would be an insult to her,” Luke softly points out.
Lord Perrin sighs in exasperation. “You still use it. Your griffin has proven to be a loyal form, but you two have just met. Not enough time has passed for you and her to fully integrate. Make her your only form and one day she will be the only spirit who you can channel. It will be a deep bond, allowing you to use more of her natural abilities without changing. Honestly, is a griffin such a bad form that you would want anything else?”
“The griffin form is perfect,” Luke says with a beaming smile. “It has strength, speed, and a natural grace on land and in the air. With the griffin as my ally, I can make sure that my friends no longer get hurt.”
“Now, who is the one who is lying? Don’t go pretending that you’re worried about your friends,” Lord Perrin states, a smug sneer on her face. She tilts her head to the side, avoiding the rock that Luke kicks at her face.
“Watch your mouth,” Luke growls.
“I merely state the truth,” she innocently says, her hands held open at her sides. “I’ve watched you and I don’t believe that you truly care about your friends. You keep them near so you have witnesses to your metamorphosis into a hero. Even when you saved the priest, you showed very little sympathy about his situation. Something inside you is keeping you distant from them, but I can only guess at what that is.”
Luke storms up to her and grips her tightly by the shoulder. “I care more about them than you can possibly imagine.”
“Then, why have you not thanked the child who helped you while you were separated from your body? What have you done for your caster friend who risked her life to save you?” Lord Perrin asks with a cold stare. She can feel Luke’s grip loosen and she slaps his arm away.
“I did thank Nyx.”
“Did you really thank her?”
“I . . . I’m sure I did.”
“As I said, there is something on your mind that prevents you from getting close to them,” she says, her hair beginning to flutter and shake. “Your friends have probably thought your coldness is just temporary stress caused by recent events. You have been through a lot and they are your friends, so they will patiently wait for you to recover. Though, the real question is if you will get better.”
With a mournful howl, Lord Perrin’s spine crackles and arches as she changes into her wolf form. Expecting an attack, a circle of feathers briefly appears around Luke’s neck. They disappear once his body relaxes, but a few tears emerge from the corner of his eyes. Coughing to clear his throat, the half-elf quickly wipes the tears away and watches Lord Perrin finish transforming.
“I won’t deny that I’m scared to get close to people. I saw the pain that my death caused and I don’t want my friends and family to go through it again,” Luke whispers, ashamed of his immature foolishness. “If I distance myself then they won’t hurt as badly when I die and never come back.”
“What about the pain it causes you?” Lord Perrin asks in yelping wolf tongue.
“My pain is of no concern,” Luke mutters, smiling weakly.
Lord Perrin howls in echoing laughter. “The path of a self-proclaimed martyr is one of selfish idiocy. Your pain and distance will weigh heavily on the minds of those who care about you. One day they will realize that they
can do nothing for you. On that day, they will mourn your death before you have even died.”
“This coming from a lone wolf,” Luke snaps with a soft chuckle.
“I was not always alone, child,” the wolf growls, the hair on its back ripples. “My friends have been dead for a long time and my devotion to Uli prevents me from making lasting friendships.”
“So, pain is inevitable no matter what I do,” Luke sighs, smiling half-heartedly.
“Pain is inevitable. That is one of the eternal rules of life,” Lord Perrin declares, scratching her ear with her hind leg. “If you truly care about your friends then you will make sure that the only pain you cause them is with your death. It would be selfish for you to make them hurt while you are alive.” She walks past Luke to where the cold carcass of the stag is lying. She bites into its flank, a quick shake of her head tearing off a dry chunk of meat.
“I guess this is good-bye. I don’t think I need any more lessons from you,” Luke says, his voice not as sad as he expected.
“Good because I don’t want to teach you any longer. You are an impulsive, selfish, irritating student,” Lord Perrin snarls, chewing on the tough meat. “Thankfully, my job is over. It will only be through the desires of Uli that we meet again.”
Luke cannot tell if she is joking with him or being serious. He is about to ask when the sound of snapping twigs catches his attention. The half-elf turns around to see Nyx running towards him. Luke looks back at Lord Perrin in time to see a brief shadow disappearing behind a distant tree. He is still staring when Nyx stops a few feet away from him, leaning forward to catch her breath. The caster quietly watches the young warrior as the sun begins to rise in front of him.
“I guess I was a horrible student,” he mutters to himself.
21
“So, what’s on your mind?” Nyx asks as she walks next to Luke.
“Not much,” Luke casually answers. He stares into the forest where birds dart among the branches and squirrels bound from tree to tree. An owl hoots from a hole in an oak where it prepares to sleep.
“Don’t lie to me, little brother,” Nyx kindly requests. She puts a hand on his arm, but he easily slips her grasp. “You wanted to walk back to Haven with me instead of flying. That can only mean that you want to talk about something. It isn’t like we won’t be seeing each other for . . . you are coming with me and Sari, right? Don’t you dare abandon me!”
“I’m still going with you,” Luke blandly states.
“Good. So, I ask again, what is it that you wanted to talk about?” Nyx asks with a little more force behind her voice.
Luke sighs and finally looks at Nyx, his cheeks red from shame. “I never properly thanked you for trying to save me from the spell collision and for risking your life to resurrect me. I’m sorry that it’s taken me so long to say it. I’ll understand if you’re angry.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Nyx groans in disbelief.
“My actions have not been how a real friend should act,” Luke claims, trying to sound proper and wise.
“You’re an idiot,” Nyx says with a friendly swat to Luke’s shoulder. “I figured you would pay me back at some point by saving my life. It’s what we do. There isn’t any reason for us to go out of our way to thank each other.”
“It shouldn’t be like that,” Luke protests.
“Stop being a child,” Nyx says, her smile starting to fade. “You would have known if I was angry. What brought this whole thing on, anyway?”
“Lord Perrin told me that I wasn’t a good friend,” Luke sheepishly replies.
“What the hell are you listening to her for? That woman trained you for a day and she didn’t even uncover all of your powers. It took Aedyn almost getting killed for you to discover your true gift,” Nyx argues. She begins to gently poke Luke in the ribs as she talks. “That woman knows nothing about you. Her words are not the ones that you should be taking to heart. If Aedyn, Fizzle, or I said it then you would have to worry. Not that anti-social, here-on-business bitch. I can get away with calling her that since she turns into a wolf.”
“Technically, you can’t call her that since she turns into a male wolf,” Luke interjects with a half-smile.
“I hope you get my point, smartass,” Nyx playfully snaps.
“I know what you’re saying, but she is right,” the forest tracker painfully admits. “Ever since Nimby and Fritz, I’ve kept myself distant because I was scared of the pain. In Aedyn’s case, I’m trying to physically remove him from my presence. Whether it was the pain of losing one of you or the pain of you losing me, I didn’t want to put anyone through that. I guess it sounds foolish.”
“It sounds selfish and cowardly,” Nyx bluntly states. “Neither of those qualities suits you.”
“Well, I’m only human. I get scared and selfish too,” Luke declares.
Luke and Nyx stop walking when they reach a clearing where a towering maple once stood. Only a six foot wide stump remains of the majestic tree after it was felled by long ago by lightning. From the clearing, Luke can see the bustling streets of Haven. Banners and streamers cover the street in a colorful canopy while aromatic smoke billows from every chimney. He can hear children laughing while their parents help finish setting up the last of the decorations and tables. Luke spots Alyssa and Sari arguing with each other on top of a small stage. For a brief moment, he sees Zephyr crossing the street, being lead by a bounding rodent.
“I hope you realize that this party is mostly for you,” Nyx mentions, taking a seat on the moss-covered tree stump.
“I don’t think I deserve it, Nyx,” Luke whispers.
“What can you possibly blame yourself for? You saved Aedyn’s life even though he lost his legs. You protected Selenia’s school and Haven from armies of monsters. You saved Kellia from our enemies on multiple occasions. You put your life on the line several times to help me. Let’s see what I’m missing here,” Nyx lectures, a line of fire appearing above her head for every point that she makes. “Ah, you accepted a brat like Kira Grasdon for whom she really is and helped her grow as a person. You tried to protect Isaiah at the cost of your own life. You helped me rescue Sari. There’s that blind bard who is indebted to you for finding him a home and a sponsor. I can keep going, but we have a party to go to.”
“I never thanked Zephyr,” Luke admits, straining his eyes for another sign of the boy. “I almost forgot about him once I got my body back.”
“That’s easily fixed, Luke. He will be at the party and he will be happy to se . . . hear from you,” the caster says with a smile. “The only time you’re too late to thank someone is when they die before you say it. Even then there are spells that can help you talk to the person.”
“You must be getting tired of dealing with my mood swings,” the forest tracker whispers with a weak chuckle.
Nyx nods and gets to her feet. “I will be after today. You have got to stop letting your past mistakes control you. You must accept that they cannot be changed in order to move forward. If you continue like this, you will get someone killed because your fear will hold you back from doing the right thing.”
“Everyone gets scared, Nyx,” Luke contends. He begins walking back to town, expecting Nyx to jog up behind him. Instead, the caster steps out of a tree in front of him and quickly places a gentle hand against his chest.
“The Luke I met in Gaia did not let his fear control him. Even when he was scared, he did what it took to get the job done. If you think my words are less important than whatever Lord Perrin put in your head then remember this,” Nyx says with a serious look in her tear-filled eyes. “I have traveled with you, fought with you, bled alongside you, and bonded myself to your spirit to bring you back to those who love you. If anyone, and I mean anyone, in this world knows the true Luke Callindor then it is me. And I know for a fact that the real Luke puts his fear aside to help others. Even if he doesn’t do the right thing immediately, he eventually make things right. Now, stop whining like a child and a
ct like a hero before I permanently turn your skin bright pink.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Luke nervously coughs.
Nyx shoots him an evilly playful grin. “If you’re going to act like a whiny, little girl then I’m going to make you look the part.”
“Isn’t that abuse of your power?”
“Only if it kills you.”
“I’m glad you’re on my side.”
“You should be, little brother, because you need me to keep your head on straight,” Nyx announces, turning to lead the way to Haven. “Now, we have a celebration to attend. I heard that Alyssa plans on this party lasting for three days, so you better be prepared for a lot of dancing, eating, singing, and drinking.”
“Sounds easy to keep up with,” the forest tracker says, tying his blonde hair into a ponytail.
“I didn’t even start talking about what Sari will put you through,” Nyx claims, a quiver of excitement running up her spine and through her arms. “Be ready for a wild time with her around.”
“She’s just one gypsy,” Luke casually mentions
“Keep telling yourself that, little brother,” Nyx says with a mischievous look on her face. “Just keep on telling yourself that over and over again. At some point, you might believe it.”
“Are you hiding something, big sis?” Luke nervously asks before Nyx breaks into a run. “Hey! Don’t run off without me! Tell me what Sari is going to do to me! This isn’t fair!”
He chases Nyx through the forest, dodging branches and roots that magically stretch into his path. He is about to catch up with her when they reach the edge of Haven and she ducks into an alley. Luke follows Nyx so closely that he slams into her when she stops. They topple into the crowded street, landing in a heap on the grass.
“Let’s hear it for two of our heroes!” announces a booming voice from a distant stage. The crowd breaks into applause as the half-elves get to their feet and wipe the dirt from their clothes. Both of them are blushing while the crowd cheers their names and several toasts ring out in their honor. They can see Luke’s family and Aedyn sitting on a raised dais across the street. The priest is already slumped in his chair, barely sober enough to wave at his friends.
Legends of Windemere: 03 - Allure of the Gypsies Page 50