"I an it, Jaden. The world’s so big and we’ve never left this little county. Don’t you wanna see any of the cool creatures out there, like the ones that Corrie showed us drawings of? Or what about the oceans and lakes, or the big cities of other kingdoms? For Lucian’s sake, I’ve never even climbed a mountain and they’re all I can see half the ti. How can I do all those things if I beco a guard?"
A mory surfaced in Alistar’s mind, of the day that Kaila’s father had died of exhaustion. He’d told his father that he couldn’t wait for the day that they would leave the mines together, that he and his family would climb mountains, swim in rivers and lakes, eat all sorts of fruits and other foods, and play with dogs and other animals.
Looking out at the sun-streaked waters of the Greyline, his own voice played through his mind in a lancholic manner.
You’ll teach , right Father? You’ll teach to swim?
It had been a long ti since he’d given the day any thought, though he now understood why his father had reacted with a mixed look of disheartennt and devastation. Deep down, he must have known that such things would never co to pass.
"You really cry a lot."
Hearing Jaden’s words, Alistar thought of his closest friend, whose face had always been stained with tear-made streaks. He wiped at his eyes and sat upright, glancing at what remained of the fish carcasses that they had cooked and then picked apart. "I’m sorry."
"Why’re you saying sorry?" Zech also sat up. "You’re thinking of the mines again, aren’t you?"
"But you’re free now," said Jaden. "I know it must have sucked, but now you can forget all about it, right?"
Alistar shook his head. "I can’t. Kaila and Grandpa Talon are still there. Servan’s also there, but he’ll be leaving soon when the new guard shift cos in. After that, they’ll be on their own."
"So you still have family there?"
He nodded, a cold feeling in his stomach. "Kaila is almost twelve, so it won’t be long before she has to start mining. When that happens, I don’t know how long she’ll last."
"Is...is it that bad, the mining?"
"If you don’t et your quota, they beat you. It’s not only once or twice that I’ve seen soone get beaten to death." His eyes hardened, his gaze drifting towards the ever-darkening sky. "I promised myself that no matter what, I’d return to Crystellum after my second Na Day and do my best to rescue my family. That’s why I’m trying so hard to get stronger. You can call it ’playing swordsman’ or whatever you will, but it’s definitely not a ga to . My life depends on it. So do theirs."
The other boys quieted down, neither seeming sure that they should speak. He knew that a certain hatred had slipped into his eyes and that it hadn’t gone unnoticed by his friends.
"Ah, I didn’t an to bother you two with my problems. I know it’s unpleasant to hear."
Zech was the first to speak, his voice full of passion. "You can bet that I’ll be there, too. If I can’t even help my friend save his family from so dusty old mine, then how could I ever beco a frontiersman that fights danger beasts?"
Sensing the sincerity in the other’s gaze, Alistar was touched. "Thank you. But you don’t have to."
"I know."
He wasn’t sure if he would truthfully take the other boy up on his offer when the ti finally ca, for he didn’t feel right about dragging a friend into such a dangerous situation, but the sentint was much appreciated all the sa.
"I’ll try my best to learn what you pass on from Sword Master Tramon. If we work hard, maybe we can reach the adept stratum by the ti that you plan on leaving. If we do that, won’t it be a breeze to break into those mines?"
According to Tramon, most of the guards within Distan were at the second or third tiers of the apprentice stratum, boasting surprisingly low ranks in the realms of swordsn. Apparently, so long as they had the basics of combat down and had developed an acceptable level of strength, one could beco a guard in most places without any problems, as was the case in this region. If it was similar for lsian County in the Baldor Empire—the county where Crystellum was located—and both he and Zech actually managed to reach the adept stratum, then Alistar’s vague plan of rescue would definitely beco more viable. Still, one’s accomplishnts in swordsmanship didn’t necessarily decide how strong they were. For instance, if Alistar were to fight an ordinary man as he was right now, he would surely lose.
Forcing down a whirlpool of negative emotions, he forced a smile. "Let’s try our best, then."
From what he’d read, so people were capable of reaching the adept stratum of their respective sword style within as little as seven years after taking up swordsmanship. Most took at least ten years to properly master all of the techniques to the point of applying them in actual combat, but Alistar was willing to invest twice the effort as everyone else did, and he had no doubts that Zech was of the sa mind.
With determination burning in Zech’s azure eyes, he clenched a fist and stared down at his hand as if it were a window into a different world. "After that, I’ll head to East Street and register to beco a frontiersman. By then, I’m sure I’ll have no problem taking on tasks to make money."
"We’re only eleven, and you guys are already thinking about all these things." Jaden’s tone was a bit downcast, his gaze lingering on the grass. "I didn’t think we had to plan for stuff like this until we were older."
"You’re both eleven?"
The other two looked at Alistar with raised eyebrows, Zech speaking up. "You’re not? But Anice said you were the sa age as us."
"I’m turning ten in two days."
Jaden seed as if his understanding of the world had been shattered. "You’re only nine?"
"Technically, he’s ten. Didn’t you hear him?"
"Technically, he’s nine!"
"Oh," said Alistar. "That reminds . My uncle asked to invite my friends over to celebrate my Na Day. Would you two...like to co?"
Zech scratched at his head in a surprisingly hesitant manner. "You told your birthday was coming up, but you didn’t say anything about a Na Day. That’s a big deal, Alistar."
"He ans yes, we’re coming." To himself, Jaden smiled. "Another Silverkin Na Day! We’ll tell everyone else tomorrow."
"Well, that’s... None of your cousins will be there, will they?"
"Only Anne."
Zech sighed, visibly relieved. "Okay, great. Anne’s Na Day was last year, and it would have been perfect if that heap of dung Edmun hadn’t been there. If I had a copper lucet for every ti he told us we didn’t belong in his presence, I’d be richer than his father."
"Edmun?" Alistar hadn’t t any of his relatives on his mother’s side save for Anice and Caedmon. "How old is he?"
"Old enough to take a beating," grumbled Jaden. "He hits Anne all the ti. If he wasn’t the son of a duke, we’d have already given him a good thrashing."
"Well, if none of your cousins will be around then and Jaden will definitely tell the others about it. The girls loved the gardens the last ti we were there, and Woods ate until he fell asleep in his chair. Even Corrie ca, though he didn’t leave that room with all the books until the celebration was over. I think he took one, too."
Perhaps he was referring to the black book that the smaller boy always carried around? Corrie had shown it to Alistar once, revealing it to be a book full of lessons on how to read and write at an advanced level.
The thought of everyone else tagging along put Alistar ill at ease, but only for a mont. Interacting with the girls might have made him uncomfortable, but he still enjoyed it on so strange, embarrassing level.
"Okay," he said, standing up as the sun disappeared behind the westernmost mountains. "I’ll look forward to it, then."
"Are you leaving?"
He answered Zech with a nod. "If I don’t get ho soon, Uncle will be mad at ." Even if Caedmon returned as late as he had recently made a habit of doing, Madeline and Patricia would surely tell him of Alistar’s tardiness. "I’ll et you here tomorrow at the normal ti."
"We’ll see you then."
"We?" He looked at Jaden with surprise. "Do you intend to train with us?"
"Why else would I say we?"
"Why the change of heart? Don’t tell you want to be a knight now?"
"Bugger off, Zech." The stocky, freckled boy seed a bit flustered. "I just figured it’d be fun."
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