Drake Sapphirús
It was a bit sad to realize that Ravenscroft wouldn't be around to continue training me. Still, that didn't stop me from continuing on my own. I already knew exactly what to do in terms of technique; it was time to polish and refine it. Unfortunately, when it came to magic, I didn't have a wide arsenal of spells, but that won't stop me—I'll perfect them until I can cast them in a second and a half, just as he instructed.
I was about to start stretching outside the house when Dad came over to my side, dressed in more comfortable clothes than usual, and began stretching as well.
"I'm a little rusty, but I think I can keep up with you."
"Does that mean you're not going to work?"
"Exactly. And get ready, because we're going to have a duel."
The time had come to prove that the training hadn't been in vain. While it's not a fight to the death, this will determine whether I can make that trip.
"What a lovely moment between father and son."
A voice sounded nearby. Leo had arrived too.
"We're having a duel. Want to join us, Leo?"
"I was just coming for the same reason. I couldn't stop thinking about it."
I began to feel the pressure mounting on my body. I was also getting a little nervous. A small knot was forming in my stomach.
This wasn't the time to hesitate. The time had come to prove myself.
Simple, clear rules: wooden swords. Whoever gives up or falls to the ground loses. I'll only be able to use magic against Leo. That leaves a lot to be said.
Although I was at a slight disadvantage as a child, the real world doesn't forgive mistakes—much less the weak. And I'd already experienced that firsthand.
My first opponent: my father. I know he had self-defense training, but how good was it? Who taught him? Is he really as out of shape as he says?
Without much fuss, once we felt we'd stretched enough, we took our positions, facing each other.
"Don't hold back. I won't either," he declared as he assumed the Pflug stance.
I opted for the same: Pflug. But this time I decided to take the initiative.
I closed in as fast as I could, lunging at his ribs. He took a step back, blocked it without much trouble, and tried to lift my sword.
I braced my legs to keep from flying backward and to anchor myself to the floor. He counterattacked immediately, attempting a diagonal slash. I blocked it without hesitation, but his strength forced me back even though I'd stopped him.
Even though he's my father, he's still a man. I can't compare to his strength—not yet, anyway.
Once again I lunged at him, this time aiming for his chest.
He blocked and parried it. Not only that: he charged at me without mercy. So we traded blocks and attacks.
Left, right.
—Wack!
—Tac!
Block, diagonal slash.
—Plas!
Although it wasn't much of a problem, his strength was beginning to overwhelm me.
"Ughh..."
I let out a small sigh to catch my breath.
A direct hit, whether with a sword or a bare fist, would hurt me more than it would hurt him.
I spotted a small opening in his thrusts. When he returned to his stance, it was on the same right side.
"Tac!"
An opening. It was time to take a risk and end this.
I closed in, but didn't attack. I gripped the sword with my left hand.
He tried to thrust at my chest. I put my sword in the way to block it, but without much force—just enough to make it bounce off.
—Thud!
He put too much force into his strike. This threw him off balance and caused him to stumble. I took advantage of the opening, moving to stand face to face with him.
It caught him completely off guard. All he could do was watch me. A direct blow to his stomach. It wouldn't be enough to finish him off right there.
Using the momentum, I lunged at him, sending him tumbling backward.
And that's how I won the first duel.
I felt a huge sense of relief once the match was over. There was something else I hadn't noticed: he was hugging me. I'd been so focused that I'd ignored everything else.
"You did great, Drake."
"The training wasn't for nothing, Dad. But can we get up now?"
"Haha, sure.
We jumped to our feet. We helped each other brush off the dirt by shaking it off with our hands.
"You two put up a great fight. If you don't believe me, ask the spectators."
We both looked toward our house, and there were Thomas, Emma, and Mom, watching in silence. I hadn't even noticed they were there.
"You won't get a break," Leo declared. "Now it's my turn."
I nodded silently. My dad walked away. For a second, I swore I saw an unexpected reaction on his face—maybe anger, despair, or disappointment. At what? At me? At him? I'm not sure. But I won't dwell on it. The critical moment had arrived.
I chose to use Pflug again; it was the safest option. I had never seen Leo fight. Not that I can remember.
Leo didn't take a guard stance right away; he waited for my moves, sizing up my body from head to toe.
A chill ran down my spine. But before I could take a step, my instinct warned me to stay still. Not to fight. To protect myself. I immediately concealed my own aura. Although I couldn't maintain it for more than an hour, that wasn't a problem right now.
Then I saw the flames bursting forth impatiently. His aura made him look gigantic. But just as I'd practiced with Ravenscroft, this didn't affect me in the slightest—it didn't distract or intimidate me; however, it did make my skin crawl. It kept me on high alert. It was real danger.
Something was off. Ravenscroft's hydra aura immediately made him look imposing. But with Leo, that didn't happen. It was delayed. It didn't reflect what beast, animal, or creature he was taking on.
Was he doing it on purpose?
Noticing that I hadn't lost my composure, he let out a small smile of satisfaction, and the flames vanished in the blink of an eye.
I swallowed hard. I gripped my sword firmly and lunged at Leo.
I tried several strikes: A diagonal slash. A thrust. A sidestep, trying to connect from another angle.
And Leo didn't even flinch. He blocked with ease.
I took my sword in my right hand. As I held my weapon in one hand, I concentrated mana in my left. A fleeting water ball.
One.
I tried to feint him with a downward strike...
Two.
With the spell, I aimed for his supporting leg. Using the momentum of my left-hand movement, I swung my right arm with the sword. I saw his eyes widen...
Three.
My hand had already completed its motion to cast the spell.
He threw half his body backward. With his right hand, he swung and sliced through the water ball with ease. He immediately raised his sword with ferocity.
"Ahhh!"
It struck my left hand squarely. I closed the distance without thinking.
I shook my hand to try to ease the pain a little. The pain made me lose my concentration, and I frantically channeled more mana.
"God of Fire..."
A desperate attempt.
"I, your son, beg for your help..."
A burst of rage.
"Incinerate my enemies..."
I closed the distance without thinking.
"In the depths of your flames..."
From bottom to top.
"Blaze!"
I unleashed the spell with all the power I could muster.
—Juh-juh-juh...
When the spell ended, there he stood, with some wounds on his body, parts of his clothes ablaze. He didn't dodge it. He took it head-on. He had shielded his face with his arm.
And in the blink of an eye, he brought his fist down on my jaw.
Knocking me to the floor.
I had lost this duel.
As I slowly got back up from the punch, I couldn't help but look at him and demand answers.
I slammed my fist into the ground in frustration. The blow didn't just knock me down. It reminded me of something worse: I was still far from being strong.
"You barely have a scratch… How come that didn't hurt you badly?"
"Experience and good gear. It's not the first time I've been hit at point-blank range."
"That's true. That gear must be really expensive, right?"
"You have no idea how much. But gear doesn't make anyone immortal. It just gives you a second chance. And that makes it worth every last coin.
I stepped closer, placed my aching left hand on his side, and supported him with my right.
"Mother Nature, protector of all life, I, your son"—Leo's wounds vanished, just like the pain in my hand—"I implore you to assist me on my path and heal my wounds."
"Drake, your skill with magic is terrifying. These aren't just empty words."
"Even though I don't have many spells at my disposal, I have a lot to improve on."
Dad joined the conversation as he approached us.
"Quality, not quantity, Drake."
Leo continued speaking.
"What a decent spell takes more than five seconds to cast, you finish in four. A single second can mean the difference between life and death in real combat."
"In other words, you passed the combat test with flying colors. Only the survival test remains."
I found an unexpected sense of satisfaction in his words. To be recognized—and, on top of that, to be praised.
As the heat of the moment began to subside, we headed toward the house. My mom was comforting Emma.
"What happened, Mom?"
"When you and Leo were face to face, just before you started to attack, she began to cry very emotionally."
This left me thinking about one thing: the aura.
But why could Emma see or sense it? Or something like it. Maybe because she's a baby, she's more attuned to energies. But why?
"I don't know. Any ideas, Leo?" Dad asked.
"I can't give you a proper answer to that. I just know that babies are more sensitive, and that's all."
"Drake?"
Saying anything right now would only raise more questions. But I could gather information little by little.
"I haven't the faintest idea. Thomas, how do you feel?"
"Ready to fight. It was a great fight."
I guess his instincts didn't react to Leo's aura. Is that why he didn't fully manifest it and held back? But that doesn't answer the question of why Emma reacted anyway…
Just when Ravenscroft isn't around, more doubts arise.
***
That same day, after the duels, I trained very little, just a few water and fire spells. I was still thinking a lot about Emma. However, since I wouldn't get answers right away, I decided to put it off, but jotting it down on paper. Leo had left on some business, but he'd be back for dinner.
I don't know how much mana capacity I had. I'd cast three spells today and still felt capable of more. How much more is that?
Tomorrow, once I've recovered, I'll try to see my current limit and then break it.
I don't want to sound cocky, but if my capacity is ten spells and I can keep going without any mishaps, that would be perfect. I haven't tested myself against other mages at my level or higher yet, so I need to keep my feet on the ground.
***
We all gathered for dinner. There were still a few things to clarify about my trip. More about that survival test Leo had mentioned.
"You really showed off, Drake. The fight was a sight to behold; I wish the encounter could have lasted a little longer."
"I was impressed too, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to let you travel alone."
"It feels good to be praised by you all. But I'm even happier to have lived up to everyone's expectations."
Leo spoke up.
"Times have changed; it's easier to travel between cities now. Both new and old roads are busier, and therefore safer."
"But I'm still taking Drake on an adventure. When we get back, I'll confirm if it's safe to let him make the trip to Monfigt."
"Until then, you two can keep discussing it."
He tried to ease my mom's mistrust and concern. However, that survival test left me on the sidelines.
***
The next morning, he came back for me so I could accompany him and learn about his routine before he set off on his adventure. He had taken an old backpack my dad had saved, and I brought it along to pack everything.
"We have to prepare very well, and we'll buy the essentials. First: herbs like rosemary, thyme, and mint."
"I get the rosemary for eating. But why thyme and mint?"
"Rosemary isn't just for food. It's also good for medicinal purposes and for eliminating bad odors. Thyme and mint are the same."
"In my case, I consider cleanliness just as important as other things. Eliminating your scent and staying fresh can be an advantage in many situations."
"Like what kind of situations?"
"Fatigue doesn't kill you first," Leo said. "Neglect does. The smell, the dried blood, the dirt… that slows you down. And what's slow dies."
"When you're dirty, your mind is too. You don't notice footsteps. You don't notice changes in the wind. You don't notice when something's wrong."
"What you're saying is that I should keep doing the same things I do at home, just like everywhere else."
"Exactly."
I got lost in the daily grind of buying supplies, running back and forth from one place to another.
Ropes.
Salt. Not just for eating.
"Here, a gift."
He gave me a whetstone. I was already taking pretty good care of the bastard sword Ravenscroft had given me. I kept it in the best condition possible, even though it was very dull. So much so that at one point my mom scolded me for using the whetstone from home on the sword.
It was impossible not to smile at the memory. And we continued.
Needle and thread.
My own kite.
Tinder. I didn't see the need for it; I could start a fire on my own.
And that's how half the day slipped by in the blink of an eye, shopping here and there. When we finished shopping, we went straight to the guild.
"Good afternoon, Odette."
"Good afternoon, Miss Odette."
"Good afternoon, Leo and Drake."
"I know you already know him, but I'll introduce them again." Look, Odette, this is Ethan's son: Drake.
"Nice to meet you again, Drake."
"The pleasure is all mine, again."
There was something in the way they looked at each other. Similar or identical to the way Mom and Dad looked at each other. Compared to talking to other people, talking to Leo and Odette was different; if you looked closely, a faint glow reflected in their eyes.
One word—cheesy and out of place for me right now.
Love.
The differences between family love and romantic love must be minimal, but noticeable. I suppose so.
"We're looking for a job that lasts at least a month."
"Hmm… there isn't one like that right now. But there are two or three that might be equivalent. Give me a second; I'll look them up."
While Odette looked into our request, Leo asked:
"Are you planning to take the test to become an adventurer?"
"I'll wait a little longer. I know I need to prepare a bit more."
Leo smiled, not mockingly.
"Good for you."
"Look, these are the three jobs and a fourth one that's on your way, in case you'd like to take it."
"Your first job would be to carry tools and supplies to a small village to the south. And along with that, hunt a red boar a little further west. Then gather some herbs near where the boar lives. And finally, write a report of at least seven days' duration explaining why so many animals are migrating north."
With a friendly smile and a tone of feigned compassion, she remarked:
"I really need you to do the first two. No one wants to take them on because of the time and the weight of the supplies."
She fixed her gaze on Leo and, with a forced smile, said:
"But I know you, Leonard, will go, right?"
"You know I will."
Odette, with her gaze, pressured Leo to agree. So there you have one of the explanations for why he takes on missions that take a certain amount of time.
Among other things, the details of the missions were: hunt the boar and bring back its tusks, difficulty level B. Transport materials, gather herbs, and complete the report, difficulty level E. Surprisingly, the reward was good when you added them all up.
To my surprise, that very afternoon we only went back to my house to get a blanket. The goodbye was quick, with no time to hesitate.
They gave us a cart pulled by two mules with everything we'd be taking. And we set off.
***
That night we made good progress; after midnight we stopped in an open area with few trees. Leo quickly gathered wood for a campfire. I lit it, gave the mules water, and tied them up.
While we ate dinner, Leo made a few things clear.
"Tonight we'll both sleep, since we're still in a safe area. Starting tomorrow, we'll take five-hour shifts on guard duty, from here until we reach the village. Once in the village, we'll take turns at night."
"I understand."
We ate dinner and said nothing more. We slept, and the next morning we continued on.
***
Nothing spectacular happened except for the hunt for a hare. The rest was routine: breakfast, washing up with water I conjured, feeding the mules, lunch, and dinner.
Now it was my turn to sleep after dinner.