The New Bond

Aster

The meal ended quickly after that announcement. The third plate I held off on eating, and after getting approval from Roslin, I stored it in my storage for later.

As we made our way out, all of us in a group, I was surprised to have the elven queen stop and turn to me as she finished speaking to Lira.

“May we talk for a moment?” She asked, smiling. Her tone was the same as Kulni’s when I had no choice but to talk. She walked on the other side of me, Roslin falling a step behind next to Baldwin, talking to him.

“This coin, I was told it was from you. I wanted to ask how many more you have and if you're willing to trade?” She produced the coin in her hand that I had given Baldwin, showing it to me.

I hesitated in telling her. From what Roslin had told me, queens and kings had a lot of power. Would she somehow force me to give her all the coins if I showed them? I almost turned to look at Baldwin to ask him what he had said to her but then slumped my shoulders. She already knew I had some more, at least silver ones. I know I had said I had gold ones, but I had never shown them, so maybe I could get by with just them.

“Don’t look so glum. I wanted to see the coins because if they're authentic, they're worth a lot to us elves, not just as mana coins their history to us. The runes on this coin are old elvish, and I’m willing to pay. ”

I nodded, brought the bag of silver coins out, and after a moment of hesitation and thought of how many books I could get with them, passed the pouch over to her. She took them, smiling at me, and flicked through the bag. “Give me a moment to check them,” Sinoa said, her eyes flicking from coin to coin, glowing slightly.

I walked with her into the next room, following her as she went to a row of seats, and sat down beside her, my eyes turning to Rosilin pleadingly. I understood very little about what was happening and didn't want to make a mistake. She rolled her eyes but sat in the next closest chair.

The room we were in was big and open. In the middle of the room, a round pit made out of sandy stone with sand layered around it was lowered into the ground at a slight angle before it flattened, making it a half-bowl shape, giving everyone above a view. Stairs opposite of each other were the only easy ways I saw of getting in. I was so interested in the pit and the magic I felt from it I nearly jumped when a heavy chest appeared an Inch off the ground in front of the queen as it landed with a thump. She governed her mouth, and I could hear a chuckle from her. “Apologies, I should have warned you, Lady Aster.”

She straightened and continued speaking a second later.

“They're real coins, and I’m willing to provide three gold per silver mana coin,” Sinoa said.

I turned to Roslin, looking for advice.

She looked surprised but nodded her head sharply. “It’s way above average trade price for a silver coin. You couldn't get a better offer.”

“If it’s okay to ask first, why do you want these mana coins so bad?” I knew they were elvish, but if the price was that much more, I had to be missing something.

“Oh, I apologize, Lady Aster. You will likely learn this in the academy or in a different way later on, but I want the coins because they are elvish, and the mana infused into them is old and full of nature affinity mana. It’s likely to make for good enchantments related to our race, which are naturally nature aligned.” She leaned back in her chair and looked at the sand pit. “The Claw Wood forest is densely filled with quite a few different types of mana because of the wide range of beasts, but there are stories of elvish ruins there.”

The explanation gave me more questions than answers, but if the trade in gold were that high, I definitely would take it. I had gold mana coins and copper mana coins for trying enchanting in the future, so I wouldn't be giving up my chance to learn. After a bit more thought, I nodded, asking, “If I get more of them?”

Sinoa smiled knowingly. “Then I would buy those as well.”

We made the change, and I ended up with three larger bags she pulled from the chest. I stored them. She placed the smaller one into the chest and then closed the lid. The chest disappeared with a pop of displaced air. Sinoa, appearing satisfied, turned her attention fully to the sandy arena. The fight hadn't started yet as both of the sibling pairs had gone to rooms near the pit to change. Lucky them not having to wear something like this.

While we waited, I nudged the bond. Roslin was talking with Baldwin and Cassin, and Sinoa appeared to be thinking of something. Glancing to the other side of Sinoa, the King and Lira seemed to be talking to each other, so I didn't see a reason not to speak to Umbra.

“The nobles are going to get into a friendly fight, a duel. Did you want to watch?” I asked her. The bond wasn't perfect for seeing through each other's scenes, but it could work vaguely, and I knew Umbra did enjoy watching the wolves play fight, which seemed close.

“We already are watching. Feel the bond.” I did, following the pull on the bond, and almost laughed as I realized that the middle of the roof wasn’t there. Instead of a solid stone ceiling, stars from the sky showed through a circular hole, probably for natural lighting. I could make the outlines of the four forms above and the glow of their eyes. No one else seemed to have noticed them or at least not paid them any mind.

“Are all of you up here? How has the roof not fallen?” There had to be at least a few tons worth of dragons on the roof.

A chuckle was the response I got through the bond for a moment until Umbra answered, “Silt says that the stone is enchanted for strength, but still, she says it's wise to stay spread out.”

Looking over to Roslin, I almost asked if she knew the dragons were above us but then realized the question wasn’t needed as her eyes flicked upwards. Then she turned and grinned at me. “They're quite sneaky when they want to be, surprisingly.”

“Oh, Look, there they are,” Umbra said, and I felt my attention dragged to the arena.

Princess Holly Lennox

“They really can’t think they can win this fight? They’re humans.” Yarran said again.

Checking my sword, I didn’t respond. All we were allowed in the duel were weapons provided by the armory in the room we’d just been in. It was lighter than I was used to and a foot shorter than I would have preferred, but it would do.

“I mean, they can't even be above level thirty-five.” He continued, “And you’re what, forty?”.

I rolled my eyes, sighing. “You aren't even level thirty-five. You’re thirty-four.” I wanted to shake my brother. Like me, he had spent his entire life living in the elvish lands. I’d had my reality about other races checked last year in the academy, and he’d yet to go, and he would figure out us elves weren’t superior even if we were better at most things.

That didn’t mean I thought they would win, but I wasn't going to be arrogant. Taking a glance across the arena, I looked at the two. Lucan had a bow and arrow, and Alica had a sword like me. Yarran was a mage, so we did have a slight advantage in terms of strength. Mages were always good if they could get going, but the twins were clever in using their skills and worked together better than anyone I’d seen. I looked at Alica. I may have spent a year in the academy and earned my fair amount of skills, but I wasn't built for this type of fight like she was.

“Please place the bands on and turn on their enchantments,” Baldwin said, walking up to the area’s edge at the top. “The rules are the same as in the academy, so this will be a good learning opportunity for the three of you and a reminder for Holly.”

Yarran snorted, rolling the staff he held, looking bored, but he didn't speak, thankfully.

“Fight freely. The band will stop all hits deemed strong enough to cause damage. Each attack will take a portion of mana and stamina from you. Once you reach lower than ten percent in either pool, the band will flash bright red, strong enough for anyone to notice. If you choose to ignore it, you will be disqualified, and if you choose to keep attacking someone after their band has gone off, you will be disqualified. The punishment at the school is more stringent and includes expulsion and possibly fines. There is mana in the band to stop any attacks after it deems you don't have enough mana left, but it is only for protection after the band’s light has gone off. Are there any questions?” Baldwin asked.

I looked down at the item, mentally willing the band to activate. I selected yes once the screen popped up. The Itch of mana went through me as it turned on. No one responded to his question, and he nodded. Looking back at the king and queens, he received three nods and turned around. “We will start in sixty seconds,” Baldwin said, stepping a foot back.

“Yarran, we really should have come up with a plan.” I held my sword out in front of me. The steel was weird compared to what I was used to, but it was balanced. In a two-on-one, a plan wasn’t essential, but having some idea of what to do was preferred.

Yarran opened his mouth to reply, but a shout across the arena drew our gazes.

“Try not to get out too fast. I at least want to warm up!” It was Lucan who shouted. He was grinning big and wide, waving his bow. Next to him, his sister laughed a little too loud to be real.

It was an obvious taunt, and I let it roll off of me, but Yarran stepped forward, shouting back, “We’ll see who falls first, Lucan!” His grip tightened on his staff.

We’d known the human royalty and were friends since we were both little. We knew his tricks, but Lucan was an expert at getting on Yarran's nerves. I moved to stand a few paces in front of my brother. I wouldn’t be caught off guard as the time we had ran short.

While my brother was a hothead, he wouldn’t rush to Alica in a duel, but that didn't mean she wouldn't take advantage if she saw one.

“Begin.” The word from Baldwin was like a cannon shot from a ship.

I imbued my sword with Nature’s Strength, the sword gleaming green, and moved forward. The skill was simple but effective. Any hits would drain stamina from whoever it hit at the cost of a stamina upkeep. It made the blade stronger while the skill was active as well.

Alica moved forward faster than me, a white trail following her that matched the color of the sword she held. Roots sprang up in her path, forcing her to weave around them, and I could see in the corner of my eye Yarran focusing his staff glowing green. I raised my sword as an arrow tried to fly by me, aiming for Yarran, splitting it in half, and then blocking another with the flat side of my blade.

“Yarran! Walls!” I called out

In response, thick roots sprouted from the ground, forming quickly into two angled walls blocking Lucan’s sight of me. It was just in time as one arrow slammed into the wall, getting stuck halfway through.

I didn’t have time to think of arrows any longer and had to raise my sword to block the first strike from Alica. The blades sparked as they met. I could tell by the first hit I still had more strength than she did, but she was faster, the skill she was using making her blur as we exchanged multiple blows.

I put the shouts and jeers that Yarran and Lucan threw at each other out of my mind, focusing on Alica. My skills were all nature-related and concentrated on endurance and survival rather than a one-on-one. Speed like Alica's was more suited for it.

For a moment, I wished I had picked up a shield as she ducked under one of my blows aimed at her arm. Her sword scraped against the white barrier around my leg, and I had to step back to avoid it doing more damage. I grunted and raised my foot, slamming it into the ground, using another skill, Tangle. I wasn’t perfect for this, but it would work.

The floor below us shook slightly as vines shot out of the cracks in the stone, sending sand everywhere. The roots reached for the black-haired princess. She cut down the first few that sprouted but was forced on the defensive as more showed up, and I pushed forward. The skill was a significant mana drain, and I wanted to use it only for a short time. If it could catch her, I could end this fight fast, and the duel would be as good as over.

That wasn’t to be as Alica jumped and then took a second step in the air, hopping over the cluster of roots.

“Come on, Holly, you know you can’t touch me.” She called out tauntingly as she leaped over me, landing clear of my vines.

I canceled Tangle. The duels we’d had before had allowed Alica to get a rough distance of how far my vines could stretch from me.

“You only won last time because I didn’t know about that skill.” I raised my sword at her. “It was a dirty trick, and you know it.” I took a step forward, making sure to keep the root wall between me and the noises of the other fight. Alica laughed, bouncing on her feet. “It was a fair move.” She grinned at me as she started forward again.

I smiled. We both enjoyed these bouts. It was uncommon to find another person almost the opposite of you when dueling. It made for good practice. It was a perfect opportunity for me to improve.

The next dozen blows had me coming out on top with a well-placed hit on her stomach, causing her white barrier to quaver.

Her forced backstep gave me another opening, and I tried to slam my shoulder into her, aiming to move her onto the ground.

As a response, Alica’s hand pushed out a wind, pushing me multiple steps back, my feet sliding against the stone. I grunted against the force as it tried to pick me up. Using Tangle again, I let the vines wrap around my leg, keeping me in place. A battle of mana pools started. I'd be at her mercy if she could get me into the air and keep me there.

The wind grew stronger, and I felt the vines start to rip, letting out a snarl. I willed more mana into the skill, the vines growing tighter and thicker.

Then Alica was running at me again, and I blocked a blow aimed at the vines, but her second swing blurred and cut cleanly through one of them. I could see sweat forming on her brow, the cost of using three skills taking its toll on her.

A glance at my mana, though, told me it was going to be close. All of the minor cuts she made were adding up.

I’d never had a big mana pool, and the cost of the vines was higher than ever.

Her swings started to grow slower, but being forced to stand in one place allowed her multiple hits. It was mostly luck that gave me the advantage when she did the one thing I needed to land a deceive blow.

A vine unwrapped from my leg and latched on to hers as she sliced a different one, getting too close. She cut it nearly instantly, but when her sword moved, making the cut, I brought mine down using the flat side like a stick. She went flying backward, landing on the ground with a painful-sounding thud. The red flash from her and the wind stopping its upward pull told me that Alica was out of mana or stamina, giving me the win, but not by a lot. I let both of my skills drop, heaving for breath. I turned in time to see another red flash on the other side of the wall.

I heard Yarran's laugh and could tell from it who had won.

“That’s the end of the duel!” Baldwin called, “The win goes to Yarran and Holly.” I rested the sword against my shoulder, holding out my hand to Alica.

“You definitely have gotten faster. I can’t wait to see how fast you are after a year at the academy,” I said, pulling her up.

She gave me a smile as she dusted herself off. “You’re still as easy to hit as a tree but as tough as a stone wall, and you’ve gotten better with the vines.”

“If we were even on level, you’d definitely win. I'm made for fighting beasts and with groups, not one-on-ones.” I answered honestly. Alica was a nightmare to fight, and it would have been a lot worse if she had been allowed to use her enchanted sword.

“Haha! I didn’t expect that last spell.” Lucan’s voice sounded as he came around the root wall as he walked around. ”Next time, I’ll be ready.”

Yarran grinned. “I was just getting warmed up and still have over half my mana. I could have gone for an hour longer. I could do a whole other duel at the point!” He boosted, raising his voice, and the staff. He looked way too pleased. I nearly whacked him on the head with my sword. This fight had done the opposite of calming his ego.

“If you can, um, can I fight you?” The voice wasn’t as loud as Yarrans, and we all turned to see who had spoken. It was the girl from the forest, the one who had the wolfish ears and tail. It took me a second to remember her name. Aster. She was sitting next to my mother and the rider with red hair she had come with.

Could the girl even fight? She had said she had fought beasts in the Claw Woods, but a level thirty-two killing something in the seventies, it had to be a lie.

“That’s if it’s okay?” She said into the silence, casting a glance at the rider.

Her ears twitched in a way I would have thought was cute if not for the earlier declaration. What would happen if this girl got hurt?

“I think it’s a great Idea.” My mom said, and I could tell from her tone she was also getting tired of Yarran’s boasting, but she couldn't believe this girl would win.

Yarrnan looked disdainful at the prospect, then sighed and nodded. He knew not to go against Mom when she had decided.

“I should think there is no reason she couldn’t duel. She has heard the rules and will be attending the academy. This will be a good chance to see the challenge you will be facing.”

Now looking excited, Aster went off to change and get a weapon, and all of us except Yarran went to sit down. He stayed in the arena as it started to mend, removing any sign of the last fight. Instead of sitting next to Alica, I sat with my mother where the girl had sat, wanting to talk with my mom.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I asked. I wasn't necessarily worried about her getting hurt with three riders watching the fight, but losing had to be embarrassing in front of so many high-ranking people after just meeting them.

“I don’t know, but I’m not too worried. She doesn't seem to mind the idea at the least, and I’d like to see how she does. Her mother is said to be Kulni and that is enough to interest me.” Mom said, and I could see her messing with a coin in her hand.

“Yes, but being raised by a big wolf who can speak shouldn't mean much. We have wolves back in our forest.” I reasoned.

“I think you have it backward.” The rider on my opposite side said, letting out a snort. She was lying back in her chair, appearing relaxed, almost bored.

“She can talk, and big is an understatement, not that I’ve ever seen her, but that wolf is the sole reason this kingdom is still standing.”

I turned, looking between her and my mother. “I’ve read of the history, but the guardian can’t be that strong.” I crossed my arms. “And she’s not the only guardian Arilon has. We have the tree spirit. I’ve seen him.”

The rider laughed. “Princess, that spirit was born less than a decade ago. Cassin’s bond could win a fight against it. I’m not saying it’s not strong, but the Claw Wood Guardian is a whole two grades higher that we know of. Being raised by her has implications. There’s a reason her race class isn’t wholly human, and I’m watching over her and not a royal family.”

I wanted to argue, but a short cough from Mother spoke before I could. “Holly, as much as I wish to agree with you because you’re my daughter, as it stands, everything she has said is true. Look, there she is. Our questions are likely to be answered soon.”

I watched the girl walk out of the room, taking the moment to move over to Lucan and Alica. Sitting next to them, I could see the girl had changed into loose clothes and had a bow but lacked a quiver; instead, she had a strap on her back with only a handful of arrows hanging from it.

“Have you ever seen anything like that?” I asked Lucan, and he shook his head, seeming to perk up at the idea of watching another archer fight. Few, like Lucan, could properly fight with a bow without a group backing them up, and like I did when other people fought with swords, I figured he’d be more interested in the skills and movement she used rather than the overall fight.

I watched the girl as she messed with the enchanted bracelet for a moment until it covered her with thin white skin before it turned invisible. As she inspected it, her head was tilted to the side the way a curious animal would be. Her tail, however, was swaying excitedly as she looked up to Yarran, who stood on the other side of the arena, and she waved, smiling at him. HE ignored her, but she didn't seem bothered by it.

“We will start in thirty seconds, prepare,” Baldwin said, and Yarran started to prepare a spell.

“Who do you think’s going to win?” Alica whispered to us.

I shrugged. “I would think Yarran, but my mom seems to think differently, so I don’t know.”

Lucan suddenly perked up. “She’s not an archer.”

We both turned to him, and my confusion was equal to Alica’s. “What?” She asked, and I echoed her question with a “Oh?”

Lucan grinned, rubbing the back of his hands. “Well, she uses a bow, but just by how she’s getting ready, she doesn't plan to stay far away like I would. She’s angled forward look.”

I turned and had to really look to see the slight forward bend the girl had, but it was there. Lucan had good eyesight.

“I don’t see why she couldn’t be an archer still,” I said

Lucan rolled his eyes. “Well, an archer is only one type of class that uses a bow, and they tend to stay as far away as they can from a fight.”

I crossed my arms and shrugged. Anyone who uses a bow should stay a reasonable distance away. I looked towards the arena, resting my head in my hand.

“Begin,” Baldwin spoke the word, and my eyes widened at what happened.

Aster disappeared, not running fast enough to be a blur. She simply seemed to disappear, reappearing dozens of feet away, her bow drawn back and moving in a line, momentum still carrying her.

A few seconds later, roots erupted from the ground where she had just been, a spell Yarran must have held. There was a cracking noise as an arrow hit his barrier. It bounced off, but where it had hit, the barrier stayed for a moment, frost spreading over it. Then a second arrow hit it, and a third in rapid succession, the frost growing rapidly.

Then it flashed red before breaking, and the arrow continued another inch forward before stopping in place and dropping.

The girl stopped, seeming confused, and paused while drawing a fourth arrow. “Is it over?” she asked, looking up at Baldwin, her eyes round with confusion. She seemed to be more lost than any of us. Even Baldwin had an eyebrow arched.

The rider took a second to answer before nodding. The girl’s shoulders shoulders slumped, her ears drooping. It was in an odd way that made me want to touch them. They looked so soft, but considering what had just happened, I resisted.

“That's not fair! My mana wasn't full when we started.” Yarran sputtered as he picked himself up.

The other spell he had been trying to cast had dispersed in the few seconds it’d taken Aster to shatter the barrier the mana drain it caused, probably breaking it.

“Let this be a good lesson then,” Baldwin said. “A duel isn't always the best show of strength. A mage is best when they have a party to back them up and protect them. In the last fight, Lucan would have had the upper hand if he had targeted Yarran first at a better angle. I would recommend all of you learn from this.”

The girl seemed to be more put out than Yarran as she made her way out of the arena, tail hanging low.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but give her a wave. After all, she beat Yarran so fast that it didn't leave room for him to call it luck, and I eventually wanted to try fighting her.

“When you get into the academy, you can duel me! I’m much harder to hit. It'll be a proper fight.” I offered.

Aster looked up then, after a moment, nodded and smiled, her ears twitching back up.

Grinning down at her, I couldn't help smiling. A duel with her would be interesting. I did want to know what skill she had used.