7.2 Berma Castle

It had come time to sneak into the castle, and the group was ready. Remiel didn't even need to conjure up a mist, as there was already one in these early hours of the morning. A large stone wall surrounded the castle grounds, and as it was deserted there were plenty of places where Annique thought would be safe to go over. The wall was smooth and tall, which would make it impossible for any normal person to get over it. Fortunately none of the three present were exactly normal.

Remiel went first. He pulled some of the mist and concentrated it under his feet. He built up pressure and let it burst underneath of him, clearing the wall easily. He landed in grass on the other side, and his legs nearly gave out when he landed. He prepared to catch Annique. The lady knight came over just as easily as he had, but quickly formed a heart shaped water cushion. Remiel made note of the use of magicks and watched for Jade. He heard her running toward the wall from the other side, then saw her hands catch the top of the wall. She hadn't been successful in creating magicks, but she was able to be an effective warrior without them. Annique formed another heart cushion underneath her and she nodded at Remiel. The mission had begun.

Annique suddenly perked up and looked behind them. "What is it?" Remiel asked.

"Maybe nothing. I'll be paying attention."

Jade and Remiel nodded again and they continued under the cover of trees, going very slowly and carefully. Annique followed behind, eyes furtively searching the grounds behind them. From behind them, she noticed a small light. But no, not a light... a fire.

"Run!" She whispered loud enough to be clear. The three quickened their pace, but they could see another fire high in the castle. They had been spotted and they'd have to move quickly to complete their mission successfully. They came upon the castle, but the drawbridge was being raised. Remiel smiled and began calling upon his magicks. He grabbed the water and forced it around the bridge, holding it in place so that the three could cross. Annique helped him by freezing it in place.

They began to enter the front door, but Jade put up a hand to tell them to wait. "Castles like this should have a murder hole just inside the door, where they can shoot arrows or throw boiling liquids down on us."

Remiel nodded and Annique formed a heart shaped shield. Remiel froze it and they continued. As Jade had suspected, the guards dumped boiling liquid on them, but the frozen heart shield lasted just long enough for them to get underneath.

Now inside of the main hall, the group found themselves surrounded by guards. Though it was an abandoned castle, it seemed that there was indeed something of interest to be found within its walls. Jade pulled out her iron saber and lashed out at the nearest guard. He was on the ground in an instant. Remiel pulled his sword out also, and felled another two guards. Annique, who held no weapon, proceeded to pummel her opponents with high pressured water bursts, all in the shapes of hearts. Before they knew what had happened, most of the guard had been destroyed, and the three intruders didn't have a scratch.

"Impressive work, young knights!" Came a voice from above them. "I think you'll find, however, that you're in entirely over your heads."

Annique pointed to a flight of stairs and the two knights-in-training nodded. They began ascending, no longer attempting to be silent but doing their best not to give this unknown opponent any more intuition into their strength or position.

Reaching the upstairs, they saw an odd sight. There were two men dressed in green armor, one wielding a partisan and the other holding a mace. Behind them stood a man holding what was, without a doubt, the stone of power that the group sought. The man was wearing green silk pants and wristbands, and had wings on his back. This slightly shocked the group, but they had a mission to do, and were going to accomplish it winged man or no.

"My companions will keep you company while I escort this stone off the premises, my dear little knights." The winged man said. With that he turned to walk toward an open window.

"Remiel, don't let him leave this place." Said Annique calmly. "We've got these two here."

Remiel nodded and shot himself over the two green warriors. The winged man turned around to see Remiel coming toward him and held up the stone, a great emerald that shone brilliantly under the moonlight. From the window a powerful wind came in and knocked Remiel to his knees.

Remiel used his blade to keep the wind out of his eyes, and as he did, the winged warrior rushed him. A huge blade swung at Remiel and caught him in the shoulder. Remiel howled in pain, but stood his ground. He tried to attack in turn, but the winged man's stone glowed again and another gust burst through the window.

Remiel used his water magicks to ward of some of the power of the wind, but found that most of the water was simply pushed away. He did create for himself a small pocket where he could trudge through. He drew his sword and ran as hard as he could toward the man with the wings. The emerald stopped glowing and Remiel found himself suddenly pushing too hard against a force that had ceased to exist. He tripped and fell at the winged warrior's feet.

"Haha, listen well boy," the warrior said. "My name is Coreban Dencht of the Windfolk. This stone resonates with me and I will become master of the sky. Your little raindrops won't be able to stand up to my superior power. You are but the first to fall at my feet."

Remiel grimaced that he had tripped, and pained by the gash in his arm, looked back at the two girls, who were busy fighting their own battles. He saw Jade dodging the partisan and attempting to parry, but being at a range disadvantage. Annique was also out of luck, as her opponent consistantly broke her water shields and she had no weapon with which to attack him. Remiel wanted to go back and help them.

"Your friends are going to die, you know." Coreban laughed. Suddenly Remiel's mind flashed to thoughts of all his friends and his new resolution. Not only would he be strong, but he'd believe in the strength of others. He put the other battles off his mind and focused on this current threat.

Remiel turned to Coreban and smirked. He loosened his muscles and regripped his sword. Coreban shot a burst of wind at the young knight-in-training, which Remiel pushed aside with his hand. Coreban's eyes widened, and he whistled. The two armored knights dropped their current battles and rushed between Remiel and Coreban. The winged warrior rushed back toward the window and flew into the night sky.

The two warriors Coreban had left behind turned around to see the young ladies they had left behind were standing there, and with Remiel behind them having caused their leader to escape, they surrendered.

"Where did he go off to?" Demanded Remiel.

"I don't know!" Shouted the one guard, and Remiel used magicks to surround the man's face with water. Looking at the other guard, Remiel looked hard at the other soldier. "Hope your memory's a little better." The second guard watched his comerade drowning and decided to talk. It turned out that their second base of operations was in a small town called Kinneras. It was across from the barber, the one with the red door.

"Thank you for your help, kind sirs." Remiel smiled, releasing the first guard from the drowning ball that was on his head.

Remiel looked over at the two girls, who had looks of both pity and fear. Remiel recognized the look, but assured them that he would never have killed the other man. "I have a sort of vision that can see everything that water is doing. I definitely would have stopped before killing him."

The girls nodded and the group tied the two guards up. They had a new destination and they didn't have much time to get to it.

7.1 Landing In Illea

The voyage to Illea had not been a pleasant one. In an attempt to enter the island nation as secretly as possible, the group traveled by boat in with the cargo. It was rather cramped and the three were forced to breathe through their clothing in an attempt to avoid the smell. There was something very rotten, though Remiel couldn't guess at what it was. Three days they stayed on the ship, quietly waiting for the signal of sighting the shore so that they could jump off the boat into the sea.

Finally someone shouted 'land ho' and the time came for the stowaways to jump ship. Remiel and Annique both used a small amount of magick so that their jump wouldn't make an audible splash. They stayed underwater for a few minutes, each with a water magick bubble shaped around their heads to allow them some air. After they were sure that the boat would be far enough away, they began to swim towards the shore.

Remiel signed to his teammates to stay behind him for the illegal entry to the island nation. He had a plan.

***

No stowaways were found aboard the ship, as the harbor guard finished their check of the last boat scheduled to dock that night. The salty night air chilled them and they were ready to go back into the dockhouse for the rest of their shift. As they walked back up the dock, however, the water in the air thickened around them, making their hair stick to their faces and making it impossible to see much in front of them. They heard a shout from the boat, which said "got here just in time, eh?" The guards laughed and made their way slowly back to the dockhouse.

***

Through the mist, Remiel could see everything. Though it put a large amount of strain on his body to make a mist large enough to be believeable as well as to see everything the mist touched with his water vision. The two girls were holding onto the back of his cloak as they walked down the main street. "We're looking for a temple on a hill that has a statue of a fish above it." Annique said. "I have a contact there who can put us up for the night, but we'll have to leave in the morning."

"I can see it. Follow me." Remiel responded. Through his water vision, he could see that the main road was split down the middle by a river which flowed through the center of the town to the sea. On the other side of the river was the temple, and the three crossed over on the next bridge that they came to.

Remiel lessened the density of the fog so that Annique could see where they were going, and she finally pointed out the building where they would be staying. She knocked on the door, and immediately the door swung quietly open. A voice softly said "come in quickly and without a sound."

There were no lights turned on in the house, and the group was sent straight up to the attic. No formal meeting happened, the only reaction between those in the house was that Annique handed the owner of the voice several bills and receiving a thick rolled paper in return.

In the early morning, before the sun had fully come out, Remiel began using his magick to create a mist, starting from the sea and rolling over the city. It was a much lighter mist than the one he had created the night before, but enough that the team would be able to avoid being seen.

Remiel slowly lessened the thickness of the mist until it was nearly gone. They found a park, and entered under a large archway. They came to a pond in the middle of the park and sat on a bench, where Annique finally found the right time to speak.

"Our mission is to take place in Berma Castle, nearly twenty miles from the city. It was once the capital of Illea, but has mostly fallen to ruins. Our spies have tracked the thief's movements to the castle grounds."

Hoisting their bags, the group began the trek to the castle. As they headed out of the city, they noticed that most of the doors were brightly colored. When Jade asked why this was, Annique conjectured that it likely had something to do with the fact that the sky was perpetually gray in Illea. "In fact," she said, "Illea is often called the land of Green and Gray. The grass here is much more brightly colored and beautiful here than almost anywhere in the world, but the sky is always incredibly bleak."

The group made notice that it was simpler to travel with just the three of them, but Remiel guessed that when it came time to fight, they'd be wishing that Klaus was with them. They found a small town and stopped at a pub get something to eat. While they waited, Annique and Jade began talking about love, and Remiel's mind suddenly went back to Winter.

How was Sakura doing? Had she succeeded in her efforts to use her Wind magicks to heal? Would she be able to prove that the elements weren't simply a fighting tool and that they could be used to better the world? What would Rytel be doing by now? Was he still mourning Reise, or was he back in the midst of things, fighting new battles? The fortune-teller, what was she doing now that she had driven Xavier out of Winter? What was little Monique doing? And what became of Rytel's brother, or of Daisuke the Wanderer? Remiel had been so busy with his training that he hadn't entertained thoughts like these in a long time.

Remiel suddenly thought of something that he had promised Rytel before leaving.
"I will have faith in you all. I'm going to take this time to better myself and I know that by the time I come back, we'll be ready to take on any new challenges."

Remiel smiled as the waiter brought them their meals, and it seemed that the smells had grown stronger, he could breathe easier, and he felt ready to take on the mission more than ever.

Chapter 6 : Knights in Waiting

Much time passed after the White Peak incident, and things were slow for the knights. Remiel practiced his swordplay and spent time in class learning about knightly ethics and the many cultures he would likely come across in his lifetime. He met many of the knights Relena had talked about on the way to their mission, and even became friends with many of them. Before he knew it, Remiel had met all of the knights as well as the knights-in-training. It had only been two months, but Remiel could already feel a change. It was the way he breathed, the way he laughed, and the way he carried himself. He knew that his decision to travel to Royaume de Chevalier was the correct one.

In one of the many assemblies at Saint's Cross, Remiel was required to speak. He talked about the country of Laplage, where he had grown up, and the mostly fishing culture that lived in that area. He also had to give a Water Elementalist demonstration at the urgings of Perrine and Relena.

Standing on a makeshift stage in the middle of the courtyard, Remiel began talking to those who had gathered for the demonstration. There were many of the Lesser Knights, who seemed on edge. Remiel assumed that it was because they themselves couldn't use magick and therefore envied his own abilities. Of the faces he recognized, Klaus and Guy had arrived, as well as the four Knight Captains, Jade, Blue Heart Annique, and Mina of the Golden Whirlwind.

"The tricky thing about water is it's ever changing. Of the four elements, it is the hardest to consistantly grasp. Fire may burn too hot, but only if it's wielder becomes too passionate. With water, it can be in the form of a liquid, a gas, or a solid. Recognizing that water changes, one must be able to constantly adapt. For Water Elementalists, it is as much a dance as it is a battle. Flowing like a river, crashing like a sea, standing as a solid, or being free as a mist, these are all important for the water magick user."

Remiel stood near a large urn filled with water, and using his magick pulled the water out, letting it follow his hand. He swirled it in the air, and quickly thrust his hand downward. The water followed his movement, and began to splash into the ground, before Remiel clapped his hands together and the water stopped mid-splash, forming a large icy crystal. Finally, Remiel pulled his hands apart, and the ice crystal shattered and sprayed into a mist. Remiel took a deep breath and smiled.

"And that is what being a Water Elementalist is all about!" He said. Those who had gathered applauded, and while the Lesser Knights and Captains filed out of the room, followed by Guy, Klaus, and Mina. Annique, however, stayed behind.

"Very entertaining Monsieur Delacroix." She said. "As a fellow Water Elementalist, it is always invaluable to see new uses for my element."

"Branching out from the heart designs?" Remiel asked.

Annique smiled broadly. "I doubt it," she said. "But changing the form of the water three times in just a few short seconds... that was fantastic. Is that your specialty? It must have taken almost all of your magick energies."

Remiel simply smiled. Annique told him about how rare Water Elementalists were becoming. "We've got to stick together! I'm sure we can learn a lot from one another!" She said. Remiel was suprised that someone of her level was talking with him as an equal. She was already a First Ranked Knight, the highest rank that a knight could receive save becoming one of the council's knights, commonly known as the Crusader Knights.

Yet Annique continued talking with Remiel, and asked if he would be interested in attending dinner with herself the Ranked Knights as well as the Captains. "You've got a lot of promise, Remiel. I'm not the only one who sees it. Several of our new recruits are promising, more than ever before. Yourself, Beatrice, and Guy are such stellar Elementalists, Luna is a fantastic bardknight, and Jade, Belle, and Klaus are becoming amazing fighters, if they're taking a little time to grow into their magicks. Even Thierry is showing much promise as a defender-type. Give that man a shield and I'm sure he could withstand the mightiest attack. We're throwing this dinner for those of you that show us all this promise."

"I've never heard of a bardknight before... what is that?" Remiel asked.

Annique smiled and cocked her head to the side, as if trying to find the words to describe what she wanted to say. "I guess the best way to put it is to say that a bardknight uses a mixture of musical talent and wind magick to create their own sort of magick. They can hypnotize, or affect the moods of those around them. Luna can make the perceptions of all those around her distort, as if she were slowing or speeding up time. I am not a wind magick user myself, so I couldn't go into the details, but it is very impressive."

Remiel nodded as Annique continued. "Now back at your room, you should have received a package with some dress clothes for the occasion. The dinner is tonight, and your ride should be leaving from the usual depature zone. The restaurant is in Glorelia, so it won't take long to get there. I'll see you later tonight!"

With that, the young lady knight took off. Remiel watched her go, and just before she got around the corner, she let out a tiny water burst in the shape of a heart. Remiel laughed. He headed back to the dorm, walking past the courtyard full of knights-in-training talking over their lunches, and he looked at the sky. Though it had been bright and blue for most of his time at Saint's Cross, he realized that it was becoming grey as the leaves on the trees turned color for the fall.

Belle met him on his way. "Are joo going to the deener tonight?" She asked him. He smiled and nodded.

"I guess you are too?" He inquired.

"Oh jess! I would not miss it!" She smiled broadly. "I was heading for my room right now!"

Remiel walked her to the girl's dorm before resuming the trip to his own dormitory. On his desk was a package with his name written on a card. He assumed that it must have been the clothes Annique had told him was delivered and looked around the room. Thierry was nowhere to be found, and Remiel started to undress. Suddenly his mind went back to Belle. He felt his face was hot as he threw himself down on the bed. He lay there for several minutes before deciding to start getting ready.

***

Remiel gave himself one last look-over before he headed out the door. He wore a pair of black pants and a black shirt with a blue tie. On the tie was engraved a small emblem just like the one on his back, the symbol for water.

Walking down to the meeting place, he met Mina and Guy. Mina, ever a vision, was dressed in a black gown with a golden sash, with a necklace in the shape of the symbol for wind. Her golden hair was pulled back very neatly and her eyes were darkened with makeup.e Guy wore an outfit nearly identical to Remiel's, with a green tie in place of the blue one Remiel wore and the earth symbol instead of water. Mina smiled as she saw Remiel, as did Guy, but neither spoke.

A horse drawn carriage came to take the three of them into Glorelia, and they were told by the driver that they were the last group out. Guy began to ask Mina what his own title might be, if she thought he was knight material, and how long she thought it would take. All his questions were made calmly, but very sincerely. Mina answered that she had no idea, yes, and that it depended on a lot of things, not least of all was how long it took him to become subtle. At this Remiel had to hold back a small chuckle.

They arrived at the restaurant, Chez Guillermo, and the three got out, dusting themselves off as they saw how nicely everyone was dressed. There were women with big fancy hats, men in long coats and robes, and even the waiters and waitresses were well adorned. In the back there was a special room set aside for their group, and the Captains sat with many Ranked Knights across from the knights-in-training. Beatrice watched as Guy and Remiel entered the room, and Remiel noticed that her eyes hung longer upon Guy as she let out a sigh.

Belle had an empty seat next to her, so Remiel slid into the seat. He watched as Guy sat between Beatrice and another knight-in-training, a dark haired young man who Remiel had spoken to only a few times who went by the name of Jerund. Klaus was seated next to Belle on the other side, and Jade was the next seat down. Next to her was a young lady who Remiel knew couldn't use magicks, nor was she an especially good fighter, but was well on her way to being an excellent statistician. Her name was Raquelle, and Remiel had known for some time that Klaus had eyes for only her. As for Remiel's eyes, they simply rolled at the thought, and settled on Belle. She was wearing the same clothes as Mina, but they contrasted nicely with her darker brown hair. She had put on makeup and smelled like some sort of flower, though which kind Remiel knew not.

"Attention, everyone," came Vega's voice. He was seated on the other side of the room, and every other mouth was hushed as he spoke. "We are here to celebrate the finding of so many excellent knight prospects. We have never had this many rookies come so far along so quickly, and we Captains agreed that a nice dinner was in order."

Relena stood with a glass of wine in her hand. "To the new candidates for knighthood!" She toasted. The other Captains and Ranked Knights cheered with her, followed by the clanking of glasses in response to her toast.

Jiron came over and got in close to Remiel's ear. "You have a mission this next week. Meet me tomorrow afternoon to discuss it in greater detail." Remiel watched as he leaned in to Klaus and Jade as well. They looked across at Remiel, who simply shrugged.

Luna and Vega had prepared a special performance for the group, and they began to play, Luna on a violin and Vega on an upright bass. The music was uplifting and energetic, and Remiel could feel the people in the room's happiness. Every knight and knight-in-training was, at that moment, happy. Remiel smiled to himself. After showing off his magick tricks and talking all day with Annique, he realized that for certain times, his own abilities paled in comparison to something as seemingly ordinary as a song. He turned to Belle and smiled, Klaus and Jade leaning in as well. The four of them chinked their glasses together and laughed.

***

Remiel and Jade reported to the assembly room, where Jiron, Klaus, and Annique were waiting. Klaus held his stomach and Jiron shook his head. Looking at the two new arrivals, he sighed and said, "the three of you were about to go on your first international mission. Annique has asked to accompany you, and will be going in place of the usual Captain. As she is, if anything, overqualified, you should take this opportunity to learn from her."

Klaus let out a moan and leaned into a trash can. He began to vomit, and Remiel thought he noticed blood in his teammate's vomit. "There's no way he's fit to come along." Annique stated flatly. "I hate to deny the young man his first real mission, but being this sick is a risk to the mission."

Jiron nodded. "However, the other teams are being assigned other missions just now, and there aren't any other options. You'll have to do the mission one man down." Remiel looked at Klaus and felt an enormous lump of pity.

"In the island nation of Illea, there is a precious stone that was stolen from our weaponsmiths. This is one of the stones that are used to form the soul weapons that knights use. This particular stone could create a weapon more powerful than most of our knights can wield. We have information that tells us the thief has taken it to Berma Castle, though whether that is on the authority of the government or not is still unclear. Fortunately, that particular castle is centuries old and currently uninhabited. You won't be facing an entire nation to get in, though perhaps several guards may be stationed there. We will be sending you with all the information we have in paper form including maps of the surrounding areas."

With this, Jiron dismissed the group and walked Klaus to the infirmary. Remiel looked over his shoulder at Klaus, who was doing his best to put on a brave face. Remiel smiled weakly, waving to the other man.

His first overseas mission had already started to turn sour.

Chapter 5 : Relena's Test

A loud knock came on Remiel's door the next morning. He groggily stepped around Thierry's bed, and opened the door. Seeing Lord Jiron standing there, he snapped to attention.

"Lady Relena requests your presence at the training grounds in one hour. She says to bring your sword," he said, then walked back down the hallway.

Remiel closed the door and quickly bathed himself before he began getting dressed. Putting on one of his training outfits, he hurriedly left the room, sword sheathed and at his side. He arrived at the training grounds with nearly twenty minutes to spare, and rested against a fence. Relena came along shortly, and for the first time since Remiel had seen her, she was not wearing her armor, but a pink training uniform.

"Today you're climbing the rest of the mountain," she said. Remiel looked behind him at the rest of the mountain, which was twice as big as what he had previously climbed. His heart sank. "Not only that, but you'll do it wearing this." She held out a silver bracelet that had an inlaid sappire.

"What is it?" Remiel asked.

"A Magick Eater. It's made specifically to train knights like you."

"Like me?"

"Yes. Like you. You want to make your way through knighthood without using your magick, but it's always your first reaction. You've always played the role of a mage, so it makes sense, and you'd be a top rank spellblade and knight if you could learn to think with your sword and your magick as two equal weapons."

"So this eats up my magick, and that's going to help me not use it?"

"On top of this mountain is a beast that you must slay. If you wear this Magick Eater all the way up, even you won't have much magick to fight him with, and you'll be forced to think with your sword."

Remiel nodded. Relena walked ahead of him. "Shall we go then?" she asked.

"You're coming along?" He asked.

"Well I at least have to witness this. I doubt I'll have to interfere, but this test won't be easy, and I'd like to keep an eye on you to make sure you keep the Magick Eater on at all times." She said as he put the bracelet on his arm.

He felt a wretch in his arm. It felt like his arm was being dehydrated.

"It's strange, I know, but you've got to come on."

Remiel followed the lady knight and they were on their way up the mountain. He ran out of breath quickly and his legs burned with the stress, all the while it felt like he was losing immense amounts of water from his body. His eyes began to blurr, and he realized it had only been about twenty minutes of walking.

"We can stop for a minute. Catch your breath and shake out your legs, but we're moving on quickly."

Remiel grabbed his arm, wishing to yank the bracelet off, but he knew that he couldn't. He shook off his legs and turned to look at Relena. She nodded and they began to walk again.

Within another half hour, Remiel had to stop again. The same thing happened as Relena patiently allowed him stop after stop, allowing him to become accustomed to the terrain and the heavy loss of magick.

They came to a point near the top where there was a large cave with rocks that acted as a staircase. Relena easily hopped from one to another, but Remiel had much difficulty with the stairs. Leaning slightly against the cave wall, he was eventually able to reach the top, where the mountain finally reached its peak.

"Alright, you can take a good rest here," Relena said, tossing him a gourd of water. "Try to use your magick before you drink that."

Remiel tried to pull the water out of the gourd, but was completely unable to do so. Amazed, he drank the water and sat on the grass overlooking Saint's Cross and Glorelia. It was peaceful, and Remiel enjoyed knowing that he had made it up, but was also afraid of the battle that loomed before him, one without the use of magick.

As if reading his mind, Relena held out her hand to help the knight-in-training to his feet. Remiel accepted it, and the two walked toward the other side of the mountaintop. There were several kinds of livestock on the top of the mountain, and the two were constantly watching their feet to make sure they didn't step in dung, when they came across a large dark grey animal. It had a wrinkled face that appeared to be diseased, and two extra long arms. It appeared to be somewhat like a wolf, but also something more. Remiel stood nearly at the height of it's shoulders, and began to feel for magick. Instead, he felt a sharp pain in his arm. The Magick Eater bracelet was sending a small pulse into his arm, resisting the use of magick.


Remiel reached instead for his sword. He remained a cautious distance from the beast, and kept his guard up.

"Remiel, this is a Wolf-bear. It is extremely powerful, and could easily kill a normal man. You'll have to beat it if you want to continue into knighthood. And as I'm sure you've already noticed, magick won't be helping you out today." Relena said, standing quite a distance away from the scene.

Remiel breathed deeply and tried to remember his sparring lessons with Pierre. He made a mental note to pay more attention and take extra lessons if possible. The wolf-bear ran headlong toward him, and reached out with its long arms. Remiel sidestepped just as the left arm crashed into where he had been standing. A small crater formed from the impact. Remiel ran in and attempted to slice the arm, but the creature swiped with its right arm. Switching his blade to a defensive position, Remiel stopped the creature's second attack. A small cut appeared on the creature's arm, but it seemed to not mind the wound too terribly.

Remiel was breathing heavily again. He was already tired and unable to use magick, so this fight was more than anything he had ever faced before. Added on top of that, the speed and power of his foe seemed ridiculous. He spent most of his time evading attacks, landing a slice here and there to the wolf-bear.

Finally, the wolf-bear managed to smash it's massive paw into the ground nearby Remiel, and he was sent flying. He flew just over the beast's head, and sliced through, neatly beheading the wolf-bear.

Relena smiled and walked over to Remiel, unclasping the Magick Eater from his arm. Remiel could feel his arm slowly regaining the magick he had lost, as if his arm was being dunked into a pool of water.

"Congratulations, Remiel. You passed the test. Now lets get back... you've got to report on Beatrice's success." She said sharply.

Remiel smiled faintly. "She did fight excellently."

"She'd be dead right now if you hadn't stepped in."

"You don't understand the situation... I can't take credit for this mission."

"I do understand. Lord Jiron and I both know that she's blackmailing you."

Remiel opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off.

"Furthermore, I think it's foolish of you to give in to her, and it would take more than a push from an upstart like her, no matter her ties to the council, to get Jiron and I imprisoned. So long as you keep true to the oaths, you must have no fear of what Beatrice tries to throw at you."

Remiel nodded.

"If you want to become a knight without using magicks, you proved to me today that you'd make an excellent one. I encourage you to wear this Magick Eater for training purposes, but if you hesitate on missions because you don't want to use your magick, you have no right to be here. I know you're sacrificing a lot to be here, but Jiron and I have sacrificed a lot because we believe in your character and ability. I pray that you won't disappoint."

"Thank you, Relena." Remiel smiled. "I promise that I'll work twice as hard to be a better fighter, and I won't hesitate to use my magick if the need arises."

"I hope so. Now let's get to this meeting."

The two continued on to the main building, where they both gave their reports of the mission before the council, leaving out details of Remiel's involvement with the ice. Beatrice was officially awarded the title Amber Burst, a name Remiel had come up with on the spot, but the council felt was appropriate.

Chapter 4 : Witch of the White Peak

Three days later, Remiel was in the assembly area with Klaus and Relena, awaiting their assignment. Seated on the other side of the room was Beatrice, arms crossed and sighing every few minutes. Relena was standing against a wall and looked at her, clearly unimpressed. Remiel noticed that Beatrice had bags under her eyes and seemed very tired. Her blonde hair was combed neatly and he could smell her perfume from the other side of the room, but she was clearly on edge. Klaus was sitting, shifting a small metal ball from one hand to the other.

Relena and the three knights-in-training snapped to attention as Lord Gabriel finally entered the room, followed by his two escorts. The two were other members of the council which had sat in for Remiel's hearing, Lady Claire and Lord Pierre. Lady Claire had blonde hair and a smile that never reached her eyes. She looked as if she were very weary, but meant to do as much good as she could. Lord Pierre had short salt-and-pepper colored hair and very kind eyes. Remiel had seen him in several meetings translating into many languages, and he was also one of Remiel's professors who taught him how to use a sword.

"There have been reports of strange activities at the White Peak of Royaume du Chevalier. Heavy snowfall and avalanches have been reported in the area, killing several villagers of the nearby village. Team Relena, your mission is to find the source of these occurences, which we believe to be the work of a Water adept." Lord Gabriel commanded. "Should it be necessary, you have permission to neutralize the adept."

The team bowed to the Knight Commander, and he saluted them before leaving the room. Beatrice turned to leave the room, and Relena stopped her. "Aren't you going to stay behind and help us plan?" She asked.

"I've been preparing my whole life for this moment, and I have to meet with Claire for swordplay lessons in ten minutes. I'm sure that we'll have more than adequate time for you to tell me the plan on the way." Beatrice said flatly as she continued on. Relena clenched her jaw but said nothing. Remiel could tell that the team was already falling apart.

***

The next day, Remiel met with Klaus and Relena at the front of Saint's Cross to depart, but Beatrice was not yet there. He went over in his head the plans, which basically consisted of he and Klaus creating a barrier of Water and Wind magicks if the adept chose to attempt an avalanche. If the heavy snowfall became a problem, both Relena and Beatrice were capable of Fire magicks and could hopefully keep the group from freezing.

Beatrice came from the girls' dormitory walking very quickly. Though she obviously knew she was late, she said nothing. The bags under her eyes had gotten darker, and Remiel could tell she hadn't been sleeping well.

The knights had prepared two horses and a covered carriage for Team Relena, and as they climbed inside, Relena sat in the front to guide the horses and Remiel sat in the back as Klaus explained the tactics they had agreed on to Beatrice. She nodded wearily, and Klaus sat back. The two knights-in-training soon fell asleep in the caravan and Remiel climbed over them to sit up with Relena.

"So I heard an interesting rumor." Remiel said cautiously.

"I shouldn't have to tell you to be careful what you listen to." Relena chided.

"I know, but this was interesting... I heard you had a title." Remiel continued. Relena nodded, keeping her eyes in front of her.

"Most knights have titles from their more famous moments. It's mainly for the people of Royaume de Chevalier. Hearing the names of their knights with such titles inspires hope and a sense of pride. My title, for example, comes from me being a lady knight who wears pink armor, which makes a rose appropriate imagery. And when I fight, I often surround myself with a fire elemental aura. As such, I gained the title Relena of the Blazing Rose."

"What about the other knights?" Remiel asked.

"Well, there's Vega of the Screaming Dark, named because of his sword having a dark aura and having holes so that it makes sound when he strikes. There's also Jiron the Silver Cross, named for his silver armor and his personal technique, which slices two perpendicular lines, forming a cross in his enemy. There's also Blue Heart Annique, who creates water shields and water magicks in the form of hearts, and Mina the Golden Whirlwind, whose blonde hair and rapid speed make up her namesake." Relena began. As they continued to the White Peak, she told him as many titles as she could remember, and he listened with great interest.

"Is that the peak?" Came a voice from behind them. Beatrice had awoken, and was pressing her way between Relena and Remiel.

"We'll be there in about an hour," said Relena flatly. "We need to be prepared for anything.

Beatrice laid her head against the side of the carriage and sighed. Remiel and Relena kept their eyes ahead and watched as the great snow-capped mountain rose to meet them. Soon they could see the small village nearby and stopped the carriage, paying a stableman to rest their carriage before heading up toward the peak. An old man stopped them on their way out, his frame shaking, resting on a small wooden cane. "Thank you for helping us, Blazing Rose." He said, eyes full of sadness. "There have been several deaths over the past month or so. My son went up that mountain and was buried alive... we found his body just last week. Our hearts can't stand much more of this."

Relena smiled and nodded. "It's our pleasure, sir."

The team continued on in silence, up to the first plateau where they could rest. Remiel was having difficulty breathing, and had to sit. Beatrice stood facing him, arms crossed, and Klaus looked up toward the top of the mountain. Relena walked over to a small barn on the side of the plateau and walked inside. She came out with a man wearing a wide brimmed hat, who eyed the three knights-in-training before grunting and giving Relena four whistles. He continued back inside and Remiel could hear gates opening.

Relena handed each of the three a whistle and kept one for herself, and blew on the one she kept. A shrill noise filled the air, and a large hairy creature with round tusks lumbered out from behind the barn. Beatrice blew her whistle, and another followed. Remiel and Klaus looked at one another, shrugged, and they both blew their whistles. Four of the large beasts stood in front of the group and the man came back out of the barn.

"Now I'm not gonna tell you to be gentle with these here White Peak Goats, but don't be stupid. They'll go wherever you tell them, even if that means off a cliff," he said. "Saint's Cross will be held responsible if any of my beauties are killed, so like I said, don't be stupid."

Relena spoke. "I'll take it upon myself personally to replace them should anything happen."

The man grunted and walked back into the barn, leaving the four to go on. Relena stopped the others before they got on their mounts and gave them each a steel rapier. Remiel looked at it and asked if it was a Knight's Blade, to which Relena shook her head. "These are standard issue blades that all knights-in-training use for missions. I'd like you each to keep these with you for missions."

They mounted onto the large goats and continued on. As they got higher up, Remiel noticed Beatrice looking behind them nervously and humming to herself. He chuckled quietly, realizing that she was afraid of heights. Finally it got to the point where her face was nearly buried in the back of her goat's neck.

They arrived at another plateau and stopped. There was a strange noise that they could hear coming from nearby, and they stood quietly to listen. Klaus led his goat toward the sound, and was thrown back by an icy blast. His goat was thrown into the air with him and they tumbled back down the mountain.

Remiel saw Relena swerve her goat's head around and race down the mountain. "Hurry, let's go help!" He yelled to Beatrice. She shook her head.

"She's in there. Go back if you want, but I'm taking her out right now."

"Beatrice, we should fight her together."

Beatrice's eyes flared with anger. "Don't get in my way, Delacroix. Remember what I said to you? Blazing Rose and Lord Jiron will be thrown in prison along with you if you should interfere with my mission."

Remiel bit his tongue and turned to see whether he could see Relena or Klaus. He turned again and Beatrice had left her goat as she dashed into the cave. He followed after her, his conscience getting the better of him. Leaving her to fight alone would get her killed.

As he entered the cave, he saw that it was one big rounded room fashioned from ice out of the side of the mountain. In the center of it was a woman seated in a small seat made of snow. She stood to face Beatrice, who was standing before her. Remiel could feel the intensity between the two women, and began to walk to Beatrice's side.

"I told you not to get in my way, Remiel. If you insist on coming, you can bear witness to my victory. Otherwise I demand that you leave." She said cruelly.

Remiel nodded, and stood near the entrance.

"You are a fool to abandon your help, young one." Said the other woman. "I am Laneige, the snow witch. I will freeze you to the bone."

Beatrice held her rapier parallel to her face and slightly to her right, responding to the witch's taunt by preparing herself for the battle. Remiel felt the cold wind rushing toward the witch as she weaved magicks to form an icy halberd.

At the same time, the witch forced an icy wind around the two of them, forcing Remiel to warm himself by rubbing his hands together. The entrance froze over, and they were trapped inside together. Remiel set to work immediately on changing the substance of the water so that he could wield it, but before he could even get started, the two combatants rushed towards one another and he saw them clash.

Looking first at Beatrice, Remiel noticed that her offhand had become completely coated with ice. This continued nearly to her neck, and he could see puffs of her breath as she heavily exhaled. Laneige, on the other hand, had only three small red marks on her, as she smiled broadly at Remiel. He summoned the water energy that was abundantly flowing around him, pulling the snow and ice off the walls and floor, even freeing Beatrice's arm. The entrance was uncovered, and Remiel saw Relena and a shivering Klaus just outside of the door, but he had gathered all the energy in his arm.

The witch's face, already pale, now became filled with horror. Remiel situated himself so that a blast of energy wouldn't damage any of his teammates, when suddenly Laneige's chest exploded. Remiel, shocked, began rapidly releasing the water energy back into the atmosphere. Another explosion sent the witch reeling back into the wall, and Remiel realized that the explosions were a part of Beatrice's attack. With a third explosion, her body fell limp to the floor, and Beatrice dusted the snow off of her tunic.

"Mission complete." Beatrice said, as she walked out of the now clear entrance. She mounted her goat and began down the hill. Klaus followed behind her and Remiel began to do the same, but was stopped by Relena.

"That was amazing!" She said to him. "I don't throw that word around, Mr. Delacroix."

"It was Beatrice who defeated the witch, not me." Remiel said as he attempted once more to leave. Again Relena moved into his way.

"No doubt, her defeat of the witch was also impressive, but even I was unable to get through that wall of ice, and with that ice encompassing her, she would have frozen to death if you hadn't stepped in."

"I have to beg you to keep this off the record, m'lady."

"But you'd be able to advance if this became known."

"Please promise me, Relena. I promise that I'll make it into knighthood and repay my debt to you, but not like this. I can't take credit at all for this mission."

Relena regarded him suspiciously, but relented. "I think I have an idea of what's going on here. You'll get another chance to prove yourself, I'm sure. Without your magick, and without Beatrice."

Remiel bowed to the lady knight, and the two returned down the mountain.

As they began to leave the small village after getting their carriage back, the elderly man who had stopped them earlier was standing in the town square. With him stood several dozen people, who Remiel assumed must have been nearly the entire village. "Thank you, Lady Relena of the Blazing Rose," he said to her, smiling broadly. "Our village is indebted to you."

Relena held her hand up to stop him. She looked at Remiel and quietly asked him to explain to the people what had transpired.

"This young lady is the one who defeated the witch." Remiel said, gesturing to Beatrice, who looked a little suprised to see Remiel giving her total credit. "Lady Beatric, of the Amber Burst." He continued to explain her rapid victory over Laneige, and told them of her three point exploding burst technique. The people listened in awe, then let out a cheer.

"Lady Beatrice!" Came several voices, and she smiled as she coyly brushed her hair out of her face. Remiel smiled, forgetting himself as he realized that her shyness at receiving the cheers was the most human thing he had seen in her.

Beatrice continued looking back longingly as they continued back to Saint Cross, and Remiel saw a tinge of sadness in her smile.

Chapter 3 : The Fiery New Recruit

Perrine's class was difficult for Remiel. Learning to control the output of magicks for someone who has the magicks running though every vein of his body is much more difficult than for someone who had a simple spark of the energy. For Klaus and for Guy, it was a simple matter of finding their center of energy and focusing it into a single point which manifested itself on their skin. For Klaus a small yellow mark appeared on his hand and Guy gained a green one on his shoulder. For Remiel, however, the feat seemed impossible.

"Eet eez ferry eemportan' zat chu menten your emoshuns. Emoshuns feed your magique, and eet eez deefeecoolt to keep your magique 'idden when your emoshuns are running wild." Perrine said, excusing Guy and Klaus before turning to Remiel. "For you, i tsink zat zere are deux problems. Ferst, you 'ave deefeecooltee contolling your emoshuns, but also you 'ave eemense magique energee. I would like to 'ave you sense all ze magique inside you."

Remiel nodded, and felt his energy, which was indeed large. Remiel had never tried to sense it all at once, and was finding the process very difficult. He sat for hours, trying to discover the boundaries of his energy, and realized that it was overflowing. If his body could withstand all the magick that his soul was capable of, he knew that nothing he had come across would be able to stand up to him. He also knew that he would be torn apart if he actually tried.

"Draw eet eentoo yourself. Eemagine zat your magique ees an oshan, and pool eet eentoo you, like ze tide." Perrine encouraged. Remiel tried, but was too tired and exhaled deeply. "I 'ave an idea, and per'aps you will do mush better eef you come tomorrow night."

Remiel returned to his room to see that Thierry was already snoring, and lumbered to his own bed, falling asleep immediately.

***

After classes, there was an assembly for all candidates, and as Vega promised, they announced that teams would be starting soon on missions, and that each team would be commprised of three trainees and a ranked knight as their captain.

Lord Gabriel also noted that teams would be announced within the week, and that a new potential trainee would be coming in two days. Her hearing would be open to all knights and trainees as Remiel's was. After her, no new recruits would be accepted.

Remiel was excited to test his new training in a mission setting, where he would be armed and prepared for a fight. As the assembly disbanded, Remiel took a walk around the perimiter of Saint's Cross.

He pulled the letter from Sakura out of his pocket and reread it, as he had several times since receiving it. He hoped that everyone was doing well and silently apologized before continuing on his walk. When he had finished his walk, he noticed that it was nearly time for his training with Perrine. He headed into the school building and into the classroom where he was supposed to meet her, and sat down in the front row, several minutes early.

When Perrine entered the room, she was followed shortly by Luna, who smiled at Remiel. Remiel was puzzled, and asked why she was there. "I would like to try somesing a little different."

Luna pulled out her guitar and began to speak. "Remiel I would like for you to close your eyes and listen to my voice." Remiel did as she asked, and she continued, singing softly. Likewhen she and Vega sang before, Remiel couldn't understand the words, but he caught their meaning. Her song was telling him to look at his heart, his soul.

Remiel could see it. He was standing on a stone platform in front of a small stone entrance to a temple, and around him was nothing but calm water and sky, as far as the eye could see. Even the ground he was standing on had a thin layer of water covering it. Remiel entered the temple, which was completely made out of stone, and went down a flight of stairs until he found himself in a basement area. He found himself pulling magick energy into an area in his chest and a sort of blue light appeared all around him. He looked around to see statues on the walls surrounding him, each eerily familiar, and in the midst of the room was a statue of a giant sapphire dragon. Seiryuu, Remiel knew. It seemed like he was seeing himself, and knowing that he had been reincarnated, he assumed that he probably was.

He could still hear Luna's voice, though it sounded like it was everywhere around him. He reached out to touch Seiryuu, and the statue changed into a sapphire the size of Remiel's fist. He felt his energy all leave him at once and go into the sapphire, but he felt it within his chest. He knew that this was truly inside of him, and as he sensed his own magicks, he could feel nothing outside the cavity that was his soul, the sapphire of Seiryuu.

Slowly the music came to a stop, and Remiel was standing in the classroom with Perrine and Luna, who were both smiling broadly. "Congratulations, Remiel, you 'ave passed."

Remiel left the building and found a bench where he could look at the horizon. He had already come such a long way from Jinosa, and he hoped that the others would still have a place for him when he returned. The world was still changing, and Remiel knew that he'd have to catch up on his own before he could help Rytel, Monique, and Sakura change it for the better. His thoughts also turned to the woman who had led him here. He didn't know her name, but she had known his. Her eyes were on the future, and she had seen Remiel's part was out of place. He remembered her wild purple hair and her voice, that of a person not quite at place in the same world at the same time. Looking out on the horizon, Remiel knew that if he continued like this, he'd be able to do his part when the time came.



***


At lunch two days later, Remiel sat with Klaus and Belle like he usually did, when he noticed someone he had never seen before. She had three pink dots under each eye, either tatoos or the same markings that Klaus and Guy had gained from learning to control their magicks. Remiel leaned to Belle and asked who the girl was.

"Herr name eess Beatrice, she eess from the eh-High Country." Belle responded. "She hass neverr used a swordt before but she eess vairy goot with magicks."

"What's her element?" Remiel asked.

"I sought dat you werr a magick user? You schould know by the colorr of her markss."

Remiel looked again at the pink marks. "Fire?" He asked.

Belle simply nodded and the three finished their meals before heading to assembly.

The elderly woman who always sat next to Lord Gabriel stood. Remiel knew by now that her name was Lady Shera, but had never heard her speak. "For those of you who were absent at the hearing, I would like to introduce you to the young knight-in-training Beatrice Faleil." The knights and knights and knights in training applauded and Remiel turned to Klaus.

"Why all the pomp? I don't remember being introduced formally," he asked.

"Beatrice is Lady Shera's granddaughter. Though she was initally placed in the Beginner level, they expect her to be promoted after her first mission." Klaus said.

Beatrice stood and smiled, but Remiel sensed something in her eyes that made him nervous. Not just determination, but a sort of angry desperation.

After Beatrice's introduction, Lady Shera sat and Lord Gabriel stood to make his announcement. "Relena, Jiron, Perrine, and Vega, please come to the front." As the four ranked knights made their way to the front, Lord Gabriel announced that they would be the leaders of the first sets of trainees, and that the twelve chosen trainees would always be in one of their four groups. Remiel watched as Jiron, Perrine, and Vega's groups were chosen, and watched as Belle joined Perrine's group along with Guy and another trainee that he didn't know. He was chosen for Relena's group, along with Klaus and Beatrice. Jade had joined Jiron's group along with Luna, and she waved excitedly at Remiel, who smiled back.

Interupting the short interaction was a quick snap from Beatrice, who was standing next to Remiel. He was not looking forward to being on the same team with the young upstart. She gave him a glance that let him know he was about to have a talk.

After the assembly had let out, Beatrice was waiting for Remiel, arms crossed. Remiel sighed as she led him around a corner. "I'm not here to make friends, so let's get that out of the way as soon as we can. I don't care what you do with your freetime, but your little public displays of affection make me look bad. If you pull anything like that again, I'll appeal for your removal from knighthood, and trust me I know what that means, not only for you." She said, grinding her teeth and staring angrily into his eyes. Remiel was taken aback. He understood that she had connections and that she was threatening Jiron and Relena if he stepped out of line. He nodded his agreement and watched as she fumed out of the corridor.

Chapter 2 : Battle in the Park

A month had gone by so slowly and so quickly at the same time. Remiel became a little faster, a little stronger, and had learned some swordfighting. He was silently wishing it was enough and he could go back home when the girl next to him nudged him. "Eh-what are yoo doinque?" Remiel looked at her, pulled from his trance. This girl had come from a southern country and spoke little of his language. She had dark hair and glasses, and was a little bit short. Remiel liked being around her because she made him laugh, even if they didn't always understand each other.

"Oh, sorry Belle, I was just thinking," said Remiel, pointing at his head. She laughed and pointed to the front of the classroom. The Knight's Code was being lectured, and Remiel listened closely.
After class had finished, they walked back to the cafeteria together with another classmate, Klaus. Klaus was well built, tall and muscular. He had short blond hair and was a wind magick user. Klaus lived across the hall from Remiel, and they got along rather well. At the cafeteria, there were nearly twenty trainees, most of whom Remiel had never talked to. There were also several lower knights, who had graduated from the program but were not particularly skilled and had no ability in magicks. They mostly kept to themselves, and Jiron often looked at Remiel like he might end up as one of them. Remiel wanted to make this change in himself without the use of magick, but when he looked at the lesser knights, he considered using magick after all. Instead he decided to work his hardest without and see where he ended up.

"Everyone, can I have your attention," asked Vega, standing at the front of the cafeteria next to Jiron. "We have a trip to Glorelia for the knights-in-training that would like to go." Remiel was excited. He had sent a letter the week before so that Sakura would know where to find him in case of an emergency and he was eager to see if she had written back. Belle rolled her eyes.

"I haff to werk. I can' go," she said irritably. Remiel nodded and turned to Klaus.

"Oh yeah, I'm going. I haven't actually gotten to see Glorelia yet."

At a nearby table was Remiel's roommate Thierry, a very big young man who got along well with Remiel. He had dark skin and curly black hair. Remiel looked over at him and mouthed "You coming?" To which Thierry nodded.

After they ate, the knights-in-training put on their uniforms and headed to the assembly area for Glorelia. Luna was there with Relena, Guy, Vega, and Jiron. "We'll be travelling in small groups, so Klaus and Guy will be with Relena, and Jiron and I will take Remiel, Thierry, and Luna," said Vega. They split into two groups and headed into Glorelia, Relena's group into the area of town hall and Jiron and Vega took their group into the school's park area.

Jiron took Remiel aside while Vega talked to Thierry. "Consider this a part of your training. It's a bit unofficial, but I'd like for you to get as much as you can from this trip. Pay attention to the people here, focus on everything and let me know what you think." Remiel nodded. He wasn't about to turn down a request from Jiron after he had stuck out his neck for Remiel. Jiron turned to Thierry and asked him to stay with Remiel while he, Luna, and Vega took care of some business elsewhere. Thierry nodded, and he and Remiel went and sat on a bench.

Looking around, Remiel could see that they were on a long, wide path lined with trees. To either side was were large patches of grass filled with students studying and talking. He tried to concentrate. At first he could hear the students chattering about grades and exams, but as he widened his concentration, he could hear other conversations, about the job market and about friends and families. After Remiel had listened, he decided to sense the people as well. He felt the water in passersby.

He could tell when someone was dehydrated, and he could sense the magical abilities of those around him... or he would have if there had been any people with the affinity for magic. Curious, he widened his search to find the nearest magick adept. He sensed a bit of magick residue, and focused. It was a crow. Remiel was puzzled. He could suddenly feel the crow fixate on him, and began to fly toward him. Before long he could see it, along with dozens of other crows. They had pinpointed his location and were now circling Remiel. Thierry tensed, and the people in the park began to panic. The bystanders began to run away as the crows circled faster and faster, and as they attempted to converge onto Remiel, he rolled out of the way. Hundreds of black feathers fell into one heap before the two knights-in-training, and the heap began to shudder. It rose, and a vaguely human shape appeared, covered in a thick black cloak. It had long, dark hair and greedy yellow eyes, with a very gaunt face with a strange nasal passage that made Remiel think this was still a bird. The crowlike figure smirked at Remiel and Thierry.

"Magick." The figure breathed. Thierry responded by rushing it and throwing a heavy punch. Where he punched a hole went through the figure and several crows flew out. Thierry cracked his knuckles and grinned, but Remiel noticed the birds circling around again. They plunged into the hole that Thierry had made in the figure, and with a deep breath and a shudder, the figure turned to Thierry. It reached out what appeared to be a hand, albeit a feathery one, and Remiel could sense the magicks that the creature was working.

"Thierry, dodge it!" Remiel shouted. At that moment a burst of feathers shot quill forward at Thierry, who jumped aside. The feathers hit several of the trees and the park bench behind where he had been standing, and shredded them to pieces. Remiel grabbed a plank from the broken bench, formed a small blade on it using magick to pressurize the moisture near the tip, and dashed towards the creature. The creature turned to him and attempted the same attack, but Remiel also dodged and turned deftly, decapitating the creature. The head rolled into seven birds, which struggled on the floor for a moment before reattaching themselves to the main body.

"This thing isn't dying, Remiel," said Thierry. He seemed to be looking for another way to defeat the creature.

"Magick," it repeated, and turned towards Remiel. Suddenly possessing a large amount of speed, it flung itself at Remiel and put it's strange feathery hand on his face. Remiel could feel his magick energy leaving him and entering the creature's hand. Thierry ran up and punched the arm, which dissolved into crows again.

"We can't run away, but this is a fight I'm not so sure we can win," Thierry noted. Remiel clenched his fists and prepared to use his water magick, which caught the attention of the crow figure again. It began to inch its way to him as he summoned the energy from the air. He could feel the air around him grow drier and the leaves on the trees began to curl and wither as Remiel pulled the water out of them. Suddenly, a flash tore through the creature, and several of the crows lay dead on the ground. The rest flew away, and Remiel released the energy back into the air.

"Well, it's a good thing I got here when I did," said Jiron. He held his sword, which was glowing brilliantly. "You almost just gave that thing exactly what it wanted. That's a magick eater named Krowe. One of the knights' oldest enemies. He has a knack for seeking out magick, and he's very hard for us to find."

Remiel apologized, feeling stupid for nearly feeding the creature that had attempted to eat his magicks. Thierry stepped forward. "I punched a hole in that thing and it shrugged it off, so Remiel's attack was the next best solution. If we can't beat it with magick and we can't fight it with physical attacks, how did you beat it?"

Jiron smiled broadly, holding his sword for both of them to see. "A knight of Saint's Cross is given a special weapon, forged from their very souls. Their weapons are unbreakable, so long as their will is the same."

Remiel gazed at the weapon. It was a long, silver blade attached to a beautifully made hilt that was also silver with an inlaid topaz at the end of the hilt. It had no magick within it, yet it radiated with light. Remiel could feel the source of it's power, which eminated from the topaz at the end. Jiron saw Remiel looking at the topaz and smiled. "That's exactly it, Remiel. I thought you'd figure it out. You see, the stone that is attached to each weapon is what feeds the energy from a knight into his weapon. It will only shatter if the knight dies." With this Jiron became somber.

"Well at least you killed that Krowe guy." Thierry said.

Jiron raised an eyebrow. "You think I killed him? Not nearly. He'll be back, but next time he won't take chances on you, Remiel. I don't care if you want to make it through the program without using magick, but Krowe was having fun with you today. He won't be holding back next time and he wants your magick for himself."

Remiel felt a lump in his throat, and was not looking forward to the next meeting with Krowe.

Shaking the thought away, Remiel straightened himself and saluted Jiron. "My report?" He asked. Jiron smiled as Remiel recounted the things he had heard the people saying, in great detail. Remiel could tell that he didn't expect the report after the run-in with Krowe.

Jiron took Remiel and Thierry to the town center to see if they needed anything while they were in town, and while Thierry searched through the food stalls, Remiel walked into the post office and up to the front desk. He asked if he had any mail, and the man behind the desk walked back into the adjoining room to find out. Remiel stood there, hoping for the best, but expecting that he'd gotten nothing. After several minutes, the gentleman returned, carrying a single letter. Remiel thanked him and took the letter. It read:

Jinosa,

We're all a little shaken by your sudden disappearance. It's kind of a bad time for all of us, but we're doing our best to understand. I hope you're doing well, and I'm sure that if you give it your all, you'll do great! Rytel is more upset than the rest of us, but you're not the only one he's lost. There's some odd details about Reise's death, and he's been having a lot of trouble, but if anyone can help him sort it out, I think Monique can. The two of them have left the main city but are nearby, and I'll make sure to keep an eye on them. I just wish I... I wish WE could have helped you make this change, but I'm sure you know what's best. Please come back safely.

-Sakura

Remiel put the letter in his pocket and returned to the area where he had left Jiron and Thierry. The rest of the group had joined them, and together they talked about what had transpired in the park.

"Krowe is a threat that we have always been cautious about, and now he's targeting Remiel... and probably any other magick users. Klaus and Guy, I don't want either of you to travel outside of Saint's Cross alone. Remiel, same to you. This is a direct order from your superior ranking knights." Said Jiron. Relena crossed her arms and nodded once in agreement.

"Starting next week, we will be sending teams out on missions. Those of you here will be the first notified of this, but by tomorrow there will be an assembly. I am announcing this now because I would like to say beforehand that given this situation today, magick users like you three will have to be extra careful to hide your energy signiatures. Perrine will be giving lessons for the remainder of the week which will be mandatory for all adepts." Relena ordered, stressing the word mandatory.

After a moment of somber silence, the group split into two again to return to Saint's Cross.

Chapter 1 : Becoming Remiel in the City of Knights

The time had come to start over. He had just seen one of his best friends murdered before his eyes, and another had betrayed them, and he knew that the time had come to strike out on his own. He also knew that he personally needed time to work things out. To see the world, to find himself, to make the effort and become stronger. Absentmindedly he rubbed the mark on the back of his neck. It was the one thing that had brought him to this point. It was his destiny, his malady, and his greatest pride. Water. That was his true name; though he called himself by many. His birth name was Jinosa Martine, though he felt it appropriate at this new stage of his life to call himself by another name... Remiel Delacroix. This is the story of that man, that name, that change.

After crossing the ocean, he arrived in the Royaume de Chevalier, the knights' kingdom. Glorelia, the capital city was at the bottom of a valley, with a broad lake beside. As the clouds passed over the city, he could see blankets of shadow and light, he felt a strong breeze, and he smelled hundreds of homes cooking their midday meals.

He arrived in Glorelia, in one of the lower class districts. Everywhere he looked, there were children playing in the street, vendors with meager goods, and beggars. Having traveled such a long way, his own cloak was torn and ragged. His hair was disheveled, and he felt a deep thirst rising in his throat. He pushed through the beggars, though his heart was heavy for them. The people regarded him with fear and longing at the same time, as if they knew he could help them, but refused to get their hopes up. His heart ached at the thought, yet he continued to push onward. As he continued, he noticed the houses became nicer and the buildings appeared more reputable. He looked for a bar to gather some information.

The first question on his mind was how to enter the knighthood. Royaume de Chevalier, he knew, was a neutral territory. They had a training program through which many countries sent warriors to become stronger, and many strong men went to become knighted into service for Glorelia and all the lands surrounding. Thinking of this, he looked at his own arms and legs; the arms and legs of a mage. The second question was if he could really pull this off.

He found the bar nearby, a smaller building in an alley nearby. There were plenty of people who looked like they didn't want any company, and several who appeared to be doing something illegal. He walked up to the bar and pulled out a gold coin, catching the eye of the bartender, a stout man with a large brown moustache. "What can I get for you, son?" The man asked.

"I'm sure someone like you would be able to answer a few questions about the knights for me, would you not?" He said, leaning in slightly.

"For the right price I can tell you anything. Everyone around here calls me Yves, glad to be at your service." The bartender grinned. "And you are?"

"Remiel Delacroix." He replied. "First of all, where is the knight's headquarters?"

"Ah, mon ami... I couldn't charge you for that kind of information. You could ask any person on the streets for that. At the top of the hill, there is a building with flags all around." Yves said.

"How does one go about entering the knighthood if he has no documentation?" Remiel asked.

"They don't," Yves said, looking around him and leaning in closer, "but if you're willing to cough up enough for some false papers, I have a friend in the lower city who has a way in."

Remiel flipped the coin in the air, and Yves caught it. "Thanks for your time." Remiel said.

"Next time, you buy something to drink!" Yves yelled back.

As he left the bar, Remiel noted the closing hours and decided to look around the city. Compared to the backwater towns and even the grand city of Winter he had been to, Glorelia was very advanced. There was a large box shaped vehicle which ran on a system machines as well as magicks which could be brought up and down hills, and magicks lit the streetlights. It was a large city, and it was laid out in a series of roads and alleys in a grid pattern that was easy to follow.

Along the street he saw a small cafe that was closing with a couple of musicians singing about love and stopped to listen. He could never remember the words to the song, as hard as he tried, but he felt calm... and for the first time since he started the journey, very lonely.

He stayed for several minutes, drinking in the soft melody and standing silently in the night. After the song ended, he placed a gold coin on their table and thanked them. "No, please keep it," the woman said, with a thick islander's accent. "We' not in it fo' de monneh annehway."

"You sure?" Remiel asked before stooping to the table.

"Oh yes, and what are you dropping that kind of money here for anyways? You'll get mugged." The man replied. "Luna, drop that accent, you're scaring people."

"Oh fine," the woman said reluctantly. "I'm Luna, and this is my cousin Vega. We're musicians, but it's not our only job, so it's more of a hobby."

Remiel nodded to them both and smiled. "Remiel. Nice to meet you."

"What brings you to Glorelia, Mr. Remiel?" Vega asked.

"You'd laugh."

"Go on, tell us." Luna pleaded.

"I want to be trained as a knight." Remiel said, wincing.

Luna and Vega looked at each other and grinned. "See? You're holding it back! I knew I shouldn't have said anything." Remiel sighed.

"Au contraire," Luna said. "Just amused. What country do you represent?"

"None."

Vega made a disapproving sigh. "It's a little harder to get vouched for that way," he said. "But if you've got friends on the inside, it's easy."

It was Remiel's turn to sigh. "Well I don't know anyone. In fact I just got in today."

Luna smiled faintly. "If I've learned anything from music, it's that you have to go for what you love, or you end up with nothing." She patted him on the shoulder and stood up. Vega stood as well and they grabbed their instruments. "We've got to get back, but it was so nice to meet you, and we'll be here every week, so let us know how things go, ok?"

Remiel smiled and watched the pair as they walked away. He felt in his bag for something he was suddenly desperate: a hat that had been given to him by Rytel. He looked at it for a moment and put it on his head, then laid down on a bench and looked at the sky. The lights from the street blocked out the stars, but he gazed into the night anyways.

This journey would be at least a year long and difficult, but he knew that returning as a new, stronger person would be worth it. A breeze rolled in and he curled up. That long night, he didn't fall asleep once.


***

Instead, he watched the silhouettes pass down the alleys and in the darkness, he thought he saw their faces. He made out her smile, his eyes, their forms and figures, but he knew that he was alone on this journey and that he'd have to make the effort to succeed before he'd ever return. He had been selfish in leaving, he knew it. Rytel and Monique would be struggling to get through the loss of Reise and the betrayal of Xavier. He knew he had left all of his friends behind, but he continued to tell himself that it was for the best. That he would be a stronger person who could help them save the world, and not the weak link who often had to sit on the sidelines. His pride had caused him to leave, and that was something he regretted... yet there was more to it than that. He promised that this new name would be one that he was proud of, someone who could bear the responsibility of bearing the element of Water.

He noted that Glorelia was a beautiful place to be lonely, and put these things out of his mind. He'd return, and no matter the reception he got when he came back, he knew that he'd make sure he was strong enough to survive on his own before he could be with his teammates again. The sun came up over the mountain, and Remiel watched the light pour over the valley, drowning the it with warmth and finally bathing the city of Glorelia.


***


Remiel stretched, glad for the warmth of a new day. He wanted to go back and see the bartender about getting those papers, but something told him fake papers wouldn't be the right way. He couldn't cheat his way to becoming a new person. He knew the only way to start this journey was to be honest with and about himself. He looked up at the Knight's Headquarters and became discouraged. When the bartender had said "up the hill," Remiel had not assumed that meant "up the mountain." Remiel saw but a speck in the distance, but it was the only building on the mountain. He looked at the road ahead of him, which went at a harsh angle.

"Time to walk," he sighed to himself as he began to walk up. He walked past white houses with wooden roofs, past many locals who could probably already tell this was his first time climbing the mountain. He had only been walking a few minutes, but living in the capital of Winter for so long had made his limbs weaker than they already were. He was not used to mountains, and this hike was a bit more than he was comfortable with. The worst part was he was only about a third of the way up the mountain to the building. He knew it could well be a waste of time, as well, but he continued his trip anyways. He had to pause at the halfway point. He couldn't breathe. His legs were sore. He hadn't been this worn out in a long time, and even then it was from using magicks, not from physically exerting himself. He looked around. There was a path here for carriages and horses at this point, but Remiel had put his mind into going by foot, and intended to continue that way.

He took one last deep breath and stood up again, continuing up the mountain. He passed farms and fewer homes as he got farther from the city, until there was only trees, tall pines which rose high above until Remiel could see nothing but the path he was on and the trees beside. He nearly collapsed, but told himself that this was his first proof of life. If he could do this, he would feel real. Not just a symbol, not just a series of names, but someone real. He deserved to get to the top of this mountain, and if he couldn't, he deserved nothing.

He caught his breath once more, thinking of Xavier. Xavier had been pretending to be his friend for almost a year, and then, it seemed, had suddenly turned on them. The worst was, looking back Remiel could see where Xavier had been planning. Where he had called in the enemies, where he had led them astray on purpose, how he had separated Remiel from the group to begin with. As much as Remiel hated Xavier after the betrayal, he had to admit that Xavier had been right about his being too weak to help the team. Remiel knew that as long as he stayed with Rytel, he'd never have to change, and to live he needed to change. Remiel finally decided that he would stop thinking about the consequences, that this was his path and he was on it, and he would see it through to the end. After several more minutes of walking, the path cleared up, the trees ended, and in a clearing Remiel saw the Knight's Headquarters: The Saint's Cross.

It was an enormous white building, with a large wooden entryway and grated windows, with bricks for edges and with flags from many different nations lined up outside. The mountain continued up, but Remiel had reached his goal and stopped to catch his breath one last time. His nerves were pulsing, his heart beat faster, and he had difficulty standing, but his goal was before his eyes. He pressed onward and knocked on the door, as his body grew heavier and heavier. His eyelids dropped, his head hit the door, his body dropped. Remiel fainted.

When he came to, he was in a bed with white sheets, and the smell of bread filled the air. He looked around; he was in a small room that resembled the barracks in the capital of Winter. He got up and walked to the door, reaching his head out. "Hello?" He called. Nobody answered, so he continued through a long hallway. Most of the doors were open, and the rooms looked identical to the one he had come out of. He reached the end of the hallway to find a staircase that went down three levels and again called. This time a man about his age popped his head into the stairwell

"Hey man, we were wondering when you'd wake up," said the young man. Remiel had never met him, but Jinosa had. This was Jiron, the cousin of the princess Caliste of Winter. "How you feeling, umm... Jinosa?"

"I'm sorry, I'm going by Remiel now." Remiel answered quickly, before anyone heard him called Jinosa.

Jiron had a puzzled look on his face, and he whispered "what, are you some kind of assassin or secret agent?"

"No, I just needed a fresh start." Remiel answered, completely averse to telling the whole story.

"Must be bad to need a new name. Whatever, I'm easy," Jiron shrugged. "Did you really hike up the mountain to get here?"

"Yeah." Remiel answered, puzzled. "Was that wrong?"

"It was a little unorthodox, but not wrong. In fact, it was a bit impressive. If you hadn't fainted it would have looked really good." Jiron said, snickering. "But what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be a mage? You do know this is a training grounds for KNIGHTS, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I'm really starting over." Remiel said, laughing.

"Oh, before I forget, your interview for training is in an hour. It'd probably look better if you straightened yourself up a bit. There are some clothes in the chest by your bed, we had to guess your size." Jiron said. He showed Remiel on the second floor the entrance to where his interview would be, and assured him that he'd do fine. With that, Remiel headed back to his room to change.

Remiel opened the drawer which held his change of clothes. There was a blue silk tunic with a large golden cross that covered most of the front, and a pair of soft, white pants with a white belt. He tried them on and they indeed fit. He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled. He felt like he was already a big step on his way to earning his new name. He took a deep breath before heading downstairs.

At the second floor, Remiel came to the door where he was supposed to have his meeting, and stopped. If the people inside this door denied him entry into training, there was no contingency plan. This had been the one chance he would have to change himself, and it rested completely on whether or not the people in the room before him decided he was worthy. Remiel let up a small prayer and pressed hard on the door.

It took more courage to open it than Remiel had words for. To place his future in the hands of complete strangers was the last thing he wanted to do, but now was not the time for cowardice. He pushed them open and walked through. The room he found himself in was a rather large room with three large tables in a "u" shape, and across from that was a large amphitheater style seating area arranged so that upon entering the room a person would be in the midst of all those seated. There were four people seated at each table, with five nearly Remiel's age, five appeared to be in their late thirties, and an elderly man and woman seated in the middle of the table directly facing him. Remiel assumed them to be the head knights. He also saw that among the few people in the amphitheater seating was not only Jiron, but also Vega and Luna. He did his best not to smile at them, doing his best to look knightly. He caught a glance of Luna straightening her shoulders, motioning for him to stand up straight. Vega was seated next to her and winked. Remiel gathered courage from these small gestures and looked toward those seated at the tables. "Name?" Asked the elderly knight.

"Remiel Delacroix," he answered.

"And your papers?" The knight asked. Remiel's heart sank. He thought about the bartender's offer to get him new papers, but he had made a choice and now he had to stick with it.

"I have none." Remiel answered. A woman from the back of the amphitheater stood and came forward to stand before Remiel.

"I'd like to vouch for Monsieur Delacroix. 3rd Rank Knight Relena," She said. "I had come to make sure he didn't cheat his way into the knighthood, but now I will stand beside his character. Yves the bartender had offered this boy false documentation, which he has clearly denied."

"That's..." the old knight began.

"Beyond that, his climbing of the mountain is a good indicator of perseverance."

"Well, his character is one thing, but his identity is quite another." The elderly knight responded. "Unless there is someone who can attest to his identity, I will have to dismiss him immediately."

Jiron stood. "I will stand for this man. Though I know him by another name, I have fought alongside him in the country of Winter when he served with my division." He said calmly.

"Lord Jiron, you know that standing for another man or woman in this council means that their actions reflect on your admission into the council, correct?" The knight said.

"Yes, Lord Gabriel. I take responsibility for his actions."

"And you swear this before the council?"

"I swear."

"And you, 3rd Rank Relena?"

"I do." Relena answered.

Remiel felt suddenly very bittersweet. He had set out to stand on his own, and yet here he was already relying on others to forge a path for him. He tried not to let the disappointment show as he continued to look at Lord Gabriel. A smile played upon the old man's face. "Well, it seems that we shall accept you into our training program. Bienvenue, welcome."

Remiel saluted, though he wasn't sure why. It seemed the right thing to do. Lord Gabriel saluted him as well, and dismissed him. He walked towards the door and exited into the hallway. He headed back up the stairs and sat on his bed, not really believing it had been that easy.

Jiron walked in and knocked on the open door. Remiel turned and smiled. "Thank you for vouching for me, Jiron," he said. Jiron shook his head.

"From now on, you should probably call me Lord Jiron, at least in public. Knights are supposed to follow a certain code, and you should probably get a start now. Also, what I did can be taken two ways. If you are deceitful or do anything to get kicked out of this program, you will be killed and I will be imprisoned along with Lady Relena. However, if you should make it into the knighthood, our positions will be strengthened. Don't let us down, ok?"

"I understand, m'lord."

"Lady Relena would probably say the same thing if you thanked her. If you want to show us your appreciation, do your absolute best."

"Yes, m'lord."

Jiron smiled and put his hand on Remiel's shoulder. "You can do this. You'll make a fine knight." He placed something in Remiel's hand and walked out of the room, leaving Remiel alone to think about things.

Remiel opened his hand to see a small badge with a white, silver-winged cross. He laid back onto the bed and turned the badge over in his hand. He was on his way to becoming a knight.

***

"Get up, man!" Came a voice from outside the room. Remiel's eyes shot open and he realized that it was morning. Jiron stood in the doorway, his short brown hair gave him a look of youthfulness and his silver armor made him look at the same time professional. The longsword tied to his back told Remiel what he had already learned as Jinosa, however. Jiron was a force to be reckoned with, duke or no. The badge Jiron had given him was in his hand still, and he placed it in the dresser by his bed. He remembered changing out of his nicer clothes, but he didn't remember falling asleep.

"Thanks Lord Jiron," He said as he jumped out of bed and gathered his things to take a bath. While he was doing so he glanced out the window and fell in love with the view almost immediately. The mountains surrounding Royaume de Chevalier were his horizon, though the clouds and a light fog blocked much of their peaks. The sun shone brightly on Glorelia and Saint's Cross, however. The blue sky was bright and cheerful, and Remiel had a good feeling about the rest of the day.

After taking a hot bath and making himself presentable, Remiel headed down for breakfast on the first floor. He followed Jiron to a room with several tables with about thirty people seated and already eating. Jiron got in the line to grab some food, and Remiel followed behind him, grabbing an apple and some bread along with a slice of cheese. He almost complained about the food rations until he noticed that Jiron, who was a small step away from being royalty, was eating the same food. Thinking it just one more thing that would make him stronger, Remiel ate the food slowly while he listened to the conversations that filled the air.

Some of the people were talking about how to properly parry and thrust, some about etiquette, and some about more personal things, but to Remiel it all seemed like a foreign language. He felt very out of place with all these people who knew exactly what it was to be a knight, whose dreams were just to be knights, while to Remiel it was just a means to an end.

Conversations never seemed to be this hard before... but Remiel knew he had to put that out of his head. Whatever things had been like before, he was in another place. Another time. He had to come to terms with the present first.

When he had finished, Jiron stood and told Remiel to follow him. They made their way out of the eating area into the courtyard, where many other people were standing. Remiel caught a glimpse of Lady Relena in full pink armor, with her dark hair braided to the sides and a broadsword attached to her hip. Among the crowd were also a bald-headed Vega, whose dark skin contrasted with his silver armor, and his serious face made Remiel wonder if he was the same person he met singing on the side of the road in Glorelia. For that matter, Luna looked much more serious as well, though she wore the same clothes as Remiel. When she was ready to work, Remiel noticed something very familiar, a crescent moon tied into her hair. It was the same as Reise. Remiel made a mental note to ask Luna about that later.

Lord Gabriel walked out to face all those gathered at once. "To attention!" He said, projecting his voice. Everyone stood at attention and awaited orders. "Today you will be tested by our full-fledged knights and be ranked according to your knowledge as well as your skill."

The would-be knights were divided up among the ranked knights, of which there were nearly twenty. As it turned out, each ranked knight ended up with four unranked hopefuls. Remiel was put into a group with a blonde haired young man, a girl with shoulder length dark hair and olive skin, and a curly brown haired boy. Their proctor was a green armored woman with short hair that flipped out at the bottom. She was very slim and had characteristics of no nation Remiel had ever been to before. Her eyes were shaped differently, her mouth was smaller, and she had lightly tanned skin. "Goot morning, I am Perrine, I will be your proctor. I am ferry pleased to meet chu, and I 'ope zat you will all do well."

She turned to the blonde and asked for his name. "Guy." He answered. "Pleased to meet ya." A young man brought five practice swords from the armory and distributed them to the four trainees and the knight.

"Well, Guy, let's see what you know." Perrine said as she held her practice sword in a defensive position. With that, Guy sped around to her back, forcing her to change her position. He thrust at her and forced her to block. He swung at her again and again, each time she blocked. He leapt into the air and tried to come at her, but she parried his blow and forced him to the ground. Perrine went to claim victory, but Guy rolled to his feet and was ready to go again. His hand glowed and Remiel knew that he was calling upon magic to help him fight. Guy thrust his hand downward and the ground beneath Perrine turned soft and swallowed her ankles. "Enough." Perrine said. "You'll be in zee Advanced training group."

"You." Perrine said, turning to the curly haired boy. "Name."

"Gorno, m'lady." He said.

"Eef you would, please."

Gorno nodded, hand shaking. He walked slowly towards Perrine and stopped, appearing to be assessing the situation. Perrine rolled her eyes and made the first move. As soon as her blade was in the air, Gorno dropped his sword.

"Fail." Perrine said flatly. "I am sorry, but eet eez not knightly to seemply geev up like zat."

Gorno left the grounds, and Remiel looked at the girl who was left with him.

"And you, meess? Would you care to go next?" Perrine asked, smiling.

The girl took a breath and nodded. "Jade is my name." She said.

As Perrine took the defensive position, Jade walked toward her and slowly attempted to swing her blade. Perrine blocked it and swept Jade's feet out from under her. "Beegeener." Perrine said, finally turning to Remiel.

Remiel was shocked at how quickly Perrine had dispatched Jade, but stepped forward.

"Remiel." He said. He was nervous, because he had never learned to use a blade, only watched Rytel and Dratanis. He gripped the blade and tried to rush Perrine. She used her blade to push him to the side. He turned quickly and slashed again, but she blocked it. Perrine went on the offensive, swinging her blade deftly at Remiel. He had enough instinct to block but she finally hit him. "You are 'olding back." She said.

"I've never used a blade before." Remiel responded.

"Then try something else."

"I'm here to learn to fight without magic," Remiel said. "Using it right now would be cheating myself."

Perrine smiled. "Eentermediate. Eet's funny, I 'ad one of each level."

Remiel looked at the other trainees in his group. Gorno had left, Jade was in beginner, and Guy ended up in advanced. It was true. Looking around, he could see that most of the other groups had finished as well, though many trainees were sprawled out on the ground or leaving the courtyard. He looked over at Luna, who was still waiting to be tested. She told the proctor, Lord Jiron, her name and began. Dashing at him, she raised her sword. When he was about to block, she made a dash for his other side. Jiron quickly switched the hand that his blade was in and blocked from there. His block forced the blade out of Luna's hand, and she ducked behind him, determined to win. Jiron lowered his blade and spun quickly around, knocking her back. "Excellent." He said. "I'm not sure whether to put you in advanced or intermediate."

"If you would, I'd rather be in intermediate. I'd like to learn as much as I can." Luna replied. She turned towards Remiel and smiled broadly. He was a bit taken aback, but listened as Jiron gave her the official intermediate level.

As Remiel helped pick up practice swords, Luna came up to him. "I saw your fight." She said quietly.

"Oh yeah, I'm not very good."

"Lady Perrine didn't seem to think so."

"Well, I don't know why not."

Luna cleared her throat. "I know you were holding it in from the start. I can sense a person's heart, and if you just do your part... your heart yearns for you to let things go, to let your potential show, but you're afraid to know what you can do if you let it glow." She looked at him and breathed deeply. "Please just be yourself."

"What was that?" Remiel asked, suprised.

"I have a poet's soul and a woman's intuition. It breaks me to see someone with a heart like yours go to waste."

Remiel was stunned. He looked at Luna, whose eyes were full of sincerity. "And what if I'm looking for who I am?"

She smiled at him and took his hand. "You already know who you are. You just gotta learn to love it. You came to this place to prove your existence, but that's the true test of a man."

Remiel stood there, stunned. "I'm going to go, Remiel, but you listen to my words. You gotta love who you are now, not change to be who you're gonna love." Luna said before walking away from the courtyard.