by Andrew Ly
Peter gave him an unnerving stare for the longest time before finally letting out a sigh. He tented his fingers. “Do you know what is special about tomorrow night, boy?”
Nick was taken aback by such an odd attempt to redirect the flow of conversation. “The New Year’s Cotillion.”
“Do you know what is significant about the day after?” Peter asked.
Nick shrugged. “A drunken morning of regret? Vomit stains on the fine linen? Overall embarassment? Anything goes during the Cotillion.”
Peter laughed heartily. “I see you’re not as vain as you look. But I’ve never known anyone to forget their own birthday! When the clock strikes twelve tomorrow night you turn eighteen and take the final step from adolescence into adulthood!”
So it was, but his birthday was of little importance. Maybe for others it signified a milestone in their lives, but for him it was just another number. Not once in all his life spent living at the Garrison, had they been known to celebrate birthdays. He had always assumed it was to keep personal relationships from interfering with work.
“Eighteen doesn’t mean the same thing to me as it does to the others.” Nick folded his arms. “What can I do this year that I couldn’t do before? It’s not like I’ve got a life outside these walls. I’m not a civilian. And since I’m not getting a chance at the trials, I’m not going to be a knight either. I’m sitting exactly where I was six years ago.”
“That’s not true. In these past six years you’ve grown much wiser, you just don’t realize it yet. Metamorphosis is the difference between a worm and a butterfly as well as the difference between finding success and constant failure. I cannot explain the situation to you right now, but give it a little time and you’ll notice the changes in yourself. I promise you’ll understand soon enough. In light of the fact that tomorrow night is the New Year’s Cotillion, you and Cunningham will have your punishments put off indefinitely. Consider it an early birthday gift.”
“Thank you, Supreme Commander.” Nick bowed.
“Now go on.” Peter gave a flick of his wrist.
Nick left feeling very confused. He found Matt outside pacing around the two guard sentries, looking quite flustered. He glanced up at the sound of the door shutting, and ran up to Nick.
“What happened? I can’t believe we screwed this one up! What did he do to you? What’s he going to do to me?” Matt looked as if he was about pass out.
“Nothing.” Nick was surprised to hear the answer come from his own mouth.
“Nothing?” Matt repeated.
“Nothing.”
Matt let out a breath of relief. “Really? I talked to Joni earlier and she said we were definitely being punished. She heard it from Gabriel and everything. But if that isn’t the case then I can still take her to the Cotillion.”
Joni Bliss was one of Matt’s oldest friends, and had the distinction of also being his girlfriend. She was a nice girl, but was much too timid for her own good. She found the prospect of killing anything—even a demon too mentally taxing. So instead of joining the frontlines, she decided her services would be better spent in a field that best suited her kind heart and became a cleric.
“Well I hope you have fun, because I’m not going,” Nick said.
The New Year’s Cotillion was an extravagant, formal ball thrown by the Garrison at the end of each year to commemorate the services of soldiers and knights. It began in the evening and would go on through the next day. This was a symbol and a reminder to everyone to begin their lives with joy, and to carry on this merriment until the next year. But for most kids of this generation, it was the night to let loose of all other obligations and party until the wee hours of the morning.
“Seriously?” Matt asked with eyes wide in disbelief. “Peter let us off in time for the biggest bash of the year and you’re staying in?”
“Seems that way. I don’t even have a date so there’s really no point.”
“You got to stop being the stick-in-the-mud. Can’t you find the blessing in all of this?” Matt put his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “We are going to party hard tomorrow tonight, bud. And not just because of Cotillion. Think about it, it’s your birthday and a New Year’s extravaganza all wrapped in one!”
Nick forced his best smile. He hated formal dances or parties with groups of over ten people. Not because he was an antisocial person, but because every party always seemed to come down to a physical altercation between him and a couple of unruly knights of the Garrison. Thanks to years of hand-to-hand combat experience, he’d always come out on top, but the gratification wasn’t worth the punishment for it afterwards.
They parted ways, with Matt taking this chance to rest up before the big ball tomorrow evening. Before that, he advised Nick to relax after their successful mission, but of course Nick wouldn’t, or couldn’t. Instead, he decided to go to the library to brush up on some of the Glenhaven Garrison history. Why did the Supreme Commander choose him particularly for this mission, and why was he so specific about the little details? He was so busy ranting earlier that he had forgotten to ask.
Nick pulled several books about prominent knights in history off the shelves and sat at a table with a single desk lamp. He needed to find out exactly why Peter was so interested in Sir Marcus and his sword. Several tomes had nothing about the orator or his blade. There was no mention of the sword until he came across one of the older textbooks and discovered something interesting.
There was only a single page dedicated to the deceased swordsman: a hand-drawn portrait of Sir Marcus standing very regally on a boulder overlooking the sea with his sword slung at his hip. A small inscription below the picture read:
“My life has forever been intertwined in servitude, but I have no regrets for a cause that is just. With the knowledge that the coming dawn will be my last, I vow to fight until my dying breath. Bravery, Justice, Wisdom, and Peace are the core that lay in the hearts of the men who stand with me. My brothers and I can never surrender no matter the obstacle, for the day man loses the will to fight, that day will mark the end of life itself.”
-Sir Marcus Kinsley
The Second Coming
Nick sank into his chair. The Second Coming was the most recent demon war. It occurred to him at that point that something wasn’t right. For years the sword had remained buried within the grave of this fallen knight, yet retrieving now was suddenly of great importance. Why now? And why was it so imperative that he not touch it? Peter was a great mentor and one he respected, but at the same time, he was a man with many secrets. What would he have to hide?
The sound of soft footsteps took Nick’s attention from the page. Joni walked casually into the room, but she was too wrapped up in her thoughts to notice him. She was a slender girl of small stature, and an oval face that was pleasant to look upon. She had dark brown eyes and jet black hair cut in a jaw-level bob. She wore the standard female knight uniform, which was much more form-fitting than the male counterpart. The jacket was also cut shorter to the waist. The boots ran much longer up the leg.
She finally noticed him sitting there, gasped, and pressed her hand to her chest, dropping the plastic bags filled with streamers and the other decorations to the floor.
“You nearly gave me a heart attack! What are you doing in the library at this hour?”
“I was having trouble sleeping. Thought I could read a book and maybe the boredom would put me out. What are you doing here so late?” Nick said.
Joni scooped up the bags. “I was helping the decorating committee with some last minute banners for Cotillion and I needed to find the exact design for the Glenhaven Seal as a reference.”
“Isn’t it just a shield with a feather across it? Not that it matters because I don’t think anyone going to Cotillion will pay attention to some banners.”
Joni laughed. “It’s actually a kite shield with an angel wing on both sides. And for your information I’m an artist. I can’t just slap on anything and pretend it’s fine because I’ll know the
difference.” She pointed at the stack of books next to him. “Mind if I take a look?”
“Help yourself.” Nick closed the book and slid it across the table to her. Joni took a seat across from him and began skimming through the pages.
“You know, I was talking to Matt and he said you were planning on skipping the Cotillion. I have to say, it’d be a real waste of Peter’s generosity if you stayed inside.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You and Matt are like the ideal couple, so you’re going to have fun regardless. Besides, you both know I hate dancing.”
“I think the real problem is that you don’t have a date.” Joni pulled a pen from one of the bags.
Nick shrugged.
She wagged her index finger at him. “Look Nick, you’re pretty easy on the eyes. You could have had a date if you planned ahead. Now all the good girls are taken.”
“So you can see my dilemma,” Nick said.
“What about Rebecca Ryder? She’s cute and I don’t think anyone asked her yet.”
“She’s going with Paul Evans.”
“That must be salt to the wound.” Joni grimaced. “Then again, he is the president’s son. I’m sure no girl would say no to him.”
Nick raised a brow. “Are you telling me you’d say yes to him too?”
“Spare me, he’s a creep.” Joni sketched the insignia. “But at least he’s going to the Cotillion.”
“So he’s a socially active creep.”
Joni rolled her eyes. “That’s not the point. You never go to any events, Nick. Maybe if you were a little more open-minded you’d be more popular with the other knights.”
“That’s not the real reason everyone hates me and you know it. By the way, I don’t get why you’re defending him. You’re my best friend’s girlfriend, that should put you on my side by default.”
“Of course I’m on your side. I’m just saying you should just let loose once in a while. You’re too young to be so tense all the time. So what’s it going to be? I want to celebrate your birthday with you and it won’t be the same if you’re not in the room when it happens.” She capped her pen and tossed the book back to Nick.
“Fine, I’ll go.” Nick reclined back in his chair. “Tell Matt thanks for going through such lengths just to convince me.”
Joni smiled. “I’ll let him know it was a success. And remember, it’s open invitation, so at least you’ll get the chance to mingle with some of the civilian girls.” Joni picked up her bags, and left him in the library alone again.
She was right, why should he miss out on this opportunity? Why should everyone else get to have fun while he was sulking in the library? He would go and try his best to enjoy it, or at the very least, meet some people who weren’t already poisoned by hate for him. He was feeling optimistic for tomorrow night, but little did he know that it was just the beginning of terrible things to come.
2. My Fair Valentine
The New Year’s Cotillion met Nick’s expectations in the worst way possible. The theme this year was “Moonlight Romance,” and so the venue was hosted at an elegant, two-story ballroom with an outdoor garden and several balconies for private mingling. There was a small lake outside with small boats for rentals, as well as a lit stone path for lovers who wanted to take a casual stroll. Nick wore his Garrison formal clothing: a silver tunic over a white dress shirt with matching slacks.
With drink in hand, he waded awkwardly around the center deck of the second floor for almost an hour, watching couples dance below. It was uncomfortable to be so out of place, surrounded by so many people, but isolated from everything at the same time. Nobody there he could relate to: no friends other than Matt and Joni, and they were busy dancing with each other. Members outside the Garrison were not usually allowed to partake in social gatherings, but for special events like the Cotillion, everyone was welcome. So far, he didn’t meet any new people, just the same old unfriendly faces. What a waste of time. Perhaps he shouldn’t have come at all.
The double doors swung open. Almost immediately everyone stopped and turned their attention to the newest civilian guests: a sea of blondes and brunettes, but in the crowd a single red headed girl caught his eye. Unfortunately her face was obscured by everyone else in front. Nick felt a bit strange that he had such an intense desire to see this person up close, but something told him she was worth taking a second to discover. What was the harm with a little curiosity anyway? It wasn’t like he was preoccupied with anyone or anything else at the moment.
Nick made his way across the bridge, but there was no sign of her in the pack of girls. Perhaps she’d made her way to the first floor. He shuffled through a raucous group of Garrison soldiers, walked down the stairs and into the crowd of dancers.
As he pushed and squeezed between sweaty couples, he realized she was probably invited as a date by one of the other knights. Like most everything in his life, it was too good to be true. Nick gave up, and turned to walk upstairs and back into his own private bubble. It was then that a melodic voice drew in his ears.
“I’m looking for Matthew Cunningham. Have you seen him?”
Nick found himself staring into the face of the red headed stranger. It was dark and the lighting was very inconsistent due to the flickering strobe lights, but even then he could tell she was strikingly beautiful. Nick let his eyes drop quickly to the floor and rise back up, doing a double-take on every feature of this mysterious girl. He tried his best not to stare, fearing it would make her feel uncomfortable, but he couldn’t help it. She was a complete knock-out.
“Excuse me?” Nick had never felt more dumbstruck in his life.
“I’m looking for a boy named Matthew Cunningham. He invited me to this dance, and I don’t know anybody else that showed up from my school. I wanted to thank him for the invitation. Have you seen him?”
“Matt? Well, last time I checked…” Nick looked around the room. Matt was nowhere to be seen. “He was dancing with his girlfriend.”
She smiled politely, sticking out her hand formally. “You look familiar. Have we met before? I’m Quinn Valentine. What’s your name?”
“I don’t think so. I definitely would have remembered you.” He took her hand and shook it. “I’m Nick. Nick Emberson.” She had a pretty firm handshake for someone who appeared so delicate.
“Well, it was nice meeting you, Nick Emberson. Maybe I’ll see you around.” As she walked away, Nick was at a complete loss for words. He must have stood still for at least five minutes with a dumb look slapped across his face before he was snapped back into reality by a hand tugging his shoulder.
Matt waved a hand in his face. “You okay there buddy? I just saw what happened.”
“Y-yeah, sorry I just got a little bit distracted,” Nick said.
He laughed deviously and nudged Nick suggestively. “I could only see the back of her head from where I was standing, but from your dopey expression I could tell she was something. Do us all a favor and wipe the drool off your face before you ask her to dance.”
“Matt.” Nick’s heart thumped against his chest like an out-of-control jackhammer. “This girl literally just took my breath away. I barely had time to say anything, but there’s just something about her.”
Matt’s eyes lit up. He grabbed Nick shoulders and turned his body to face him. “What’s her name? Where is she? This is big Nick! I’m telling you, we have to catch the perpetrator before she strikes again!”
Nick chuckled lightly. “Very funny, but unfortunately I think she’s interested in you. Her name was Quinn, and she was actually looking for you. Should Joni be worried?”
“Quinn. Quinn…” Matt repeated the name as he tried to remember. His eyes grew wide upon realization and he snapped his fingers. “You mean Quinn Valentine? Sorry, that’s been such a popular name since the Great War. Leave it to celebrity heroines, right? Anyway, I met her when I went in town to invite some civilians. Apparently she just transferred to Glenhaven High. She’s never been to a Garrison Cotillion befo
re so to be nice I invited her. I didn’t think she’d actually show up, but I guess it worked out in your favor, didn’t it?”
Nick struggled to keep his face from heating up. Thankfully, the darkness concealed how red he must have appeared. He had dated many girls in the past that were considered to be very beautiful, so why was he feeling so strange now? Why did knots tie up in his stomach and his heart palpitate so quickly?
Matt laughed loudly. “So Nick, what do you think? Should I work the good old Cunningham charm?”
“What do you mean?” Nick asked, still not fully recovered from the encounter.
“Where did she go?” Matt scanned the room. He flashed a devious grin. “You’re about to owe me big time. You’re so lucky we’re best friends, Nick.”
Before Nick could stop him, Matt patted him on the shoulder and hurried in the other direction. He disappeared into a crowd of dresses and formal wear, leaving Nick standing there like a sailor stranded out at sea. If Matt was thinking about doing what he thought he was doing… No, Matt wouldn’t set him up, would he? He was always looking out for his best interests, but Matt also knew Nick was not very good with confrontation. What was he trying to pull? Before long, Matt reentered the room with Quinn trailing closely.
“So I hear you’ve met my best friend Nick,” Matt said.
Quinn smiled warmly. “Yeah, he was the cutest knight I’ve met tonight.”
Nick felt himself turn as red as a tomato.
He couldn’t stop smiling as Matt continued, “So Nick, having gotten better acquainted with Quinn here I found out that she also happens to be very interested in Garrison weaponry.”
Nick was catching on. Matt had a certain reputation for his knack with women, before settling down with Joni. A natural-born smooth talker, he was an absolute genius when it came to the art of flirty banter.
“Here’s an idea, buddy. How about you show her the Wolfsbane? It’s hanging on one of the chairs over there.” Matt pointed to the dinner table where he had been sitting. He turned back to her for approval. “What do you guys say?”