Chương 54: Knight and Envoy

[Concordance Active: Kindle] Garrick moved before the message finished fading. Muscles warmed instantly and joints loosened. His body felt as though it had already spent an hour stretching, running, and preparing for combat without any of the exhaustion that should have accompanied it. He crossed the training yard in three strides to where Edric waited. Garrick threw the first punch, which Edric slipped outside of. Garrick followed with an elbow that Edric blocked, and a low kick that Edric checked.

He stepped through the rebound, turned his hips, and drove a fist toward Edric's ribs. That one landed - sort of. Edric absorbed it against one forearm and shifted barely half a step. Garrick pressed; Kindle's Concordance let him move at a pace his body normally could not sustain. He attacked high and low, but Edric continued to parry and move as they went. Garrick caught one wrist, tried to pull him into a knee— Then Edric twisted.

For one confusing instant, Garrick's feet were no longer beneath him before he hit the packed dirt shoulder-first. Garrick rolled and came back up, but Edric was already there. Garrick blocked one open-handed strike, the second slapped his guard aside, and the third stopped an inch from his throat. Garrick froze. Edric lowered his hand.

"Better." Garrick stared at him.

"That was a compliment."

"Yes."

"Should I be worried?" Edric walked toward the rack of training weapons.

"Very." Garrick frowned as Edric selected a blunt practice sword. Wood at the core, reinforced with strips of metal, heavy enough to punish bad blocks without being intended to remove limbs. Visible Weave crawled across it as Edric gripped the hilt, the weapon hardening beneath the glow. Garrick's expression fell. Edric took his stance.

"The compliment was preemptive to the beating you're about to receive."

"That sounds more normal."

"With Kindle active, you're moving well enough that I'd expect you to keep pace with plenty of Second Seals." Garrick blinked. Edric pointed the practice weapon toward him.

"Now land something meaningful." Garrick straightened.

"All right." The warmth disappeared. [Concordance Shift] [Concordance Active: Aegis] Lightning crawled across Garrick's arms, then a weapon formed in his hand. White-blue electricity twisted together into a long, heavy greatsword blade. Edric's eyes narrowed as Garrick launched forward. The world blurred around him as he crossed the space between them in a heartbeat and swung. Edric blocked - the impact cracking through the yard. Edric's feet slid perhaps two inches, but that was it.

Garrick attacked again, but Edric redirected the blade. He then rotated aside and struck Garrick across the ribs with the flat of his training weapon. Pain flashed as Garrick grunted, then Edric's free hand hit his chest. Weave pulsed outward from his palm, and the world disappeared beneath Garrick's feet. He flew backward before hitting the dirt and skidding to a stop. For several seconds, Garrick stared at the sky. Edric's face appeared above him.

"That sword. Could you always do that?" Garrick pushed himself upright.

"Do what?"

"Manifest a weapon through Concordance."

"Oh," Garrick looked at the lightning greatsword still humming in his hand.

"Probably." Edric stared.

"And during the assassination attempt, you chose to use the assassin's dagger." Garrick winced.

"When you say it like that—""Why?"

"I thought the dagger might be special." Edric's expression flattened.

"It belonged to a Silencer."

"I know."

"You had a lightning sword."

"I thought the dagger might have some special property. It seemed reasonable at the time."

"No," Edric stepped back into position.

"Again." Garrick rose, his ribs and pride both wounded. The fact that Edric was a Fourth Seal had not changed. Garrick might become faster or stronger, but Edric still had years of experience and enough raw power that he could end this whenever he wanted. Then he remembered something - Orion heating Edric's armor at the embassy. A trick that had worked because no one expected the weapon to attack what surrounded the body instead of the body itself. He needed the element of surprise. Garrick dismissed Aegis.

[Concordance Active: Kindle] Heat returned. The lightning greatsword vanished as dark gauntlets formed around Garrick's hands; black metal traced with ember-orange lines. Edric raised an eyebrow.

"Fists again?" Garrick charged in response. Edric sighed.

"An armed opponent generally appreciates that approach." Edric met the gauntlet with his training sword as Garrick punched. At the last instant, however, Garrick opened his hand and caught the blade. Edric's expression changed as Garrick's other hand snapped around Edric's wrist. Then Kindle disappeared. [Concordance Active: Nimbus] Cold instantly erupted from Garrick's palms. White frost spread across Edric's weapon and the gauntlet protecting his hand. Edric's eyes widened as ice raced toward his forearm.

He ripped himself free, a pulse of Weave shattered frost from his weapon as he launched backward.

"Copying Orion with cold instead of heat does not make it original." Garrick said nothing. [Concordance Active: Clover.] A weapon formed in his extended hand - small and compact. A crossbow of dark wood tangled with living green moss, which Edric saw too late. Garrick fired; the bolt crossed the distance just as Edric's rear foot touched down. It struck the ground at his feet and Greenbind exploded outward. Thick adhesive burst in a wet green mass, sticking everything into place almost immediately.

His landing went crooked ever-so-slightly. Edric recovered almost instantly, but not perfectly. Garrick smiled. [Concordance Active: Aegis] With a greatsword in hand and renewed speed, he crossed the gap. Edric blocked, but Garrick swung again. And again - and again - and again. Lightning cracked around them with every impact. Edric's trapped foot forced him to fight from an awkward angle, but he still defended. Garrick attacked with no finesse now - just heavy, relentless blows.

"You're hoping brute force finishes the job," Edric grunted beneath one impact.

"That will not work." Garrick raised the sword overhead.

"Probably not." Edric frowned. Garrick swung, and changed everything. [Concordance Active: Shale] The lightning greatsword vanished mid-arc. Weight replaced it. A massive earthen maul materialized between Garrick's hands. Broad-headed, crude, and dense enough that his shoulders screamed as gravity seized it. Edric's eyes widened as the maul struck his practice sword and broke clean through. The upper half spun away as the maul continued toward Edric's chest.

For the first time since the spar began, Edric stopped looking like a teacher. His entire expression hardened, and Weave exploded from him violently. Garrick saw the pulse only briefly as everything around Edric detonated outward. Greenbind tore apart, frost fragments vanished, and Garrick was hurled backward. The conjured weapon dissolved as it left his hands. He hit the ground, skidded, rolled once, and finally stopped nearly ten feet away. Silence. Garrick worked hard to breathe.

Something felt wrong, as if his entire body was now empty. His Weave Reserve had never been this low, and he had not known what the side-effects of that would feel like. He reached instinctively for another shift, but nothing answered strongly enough to matter. Edric remained where he had been - his breathing heavier. He looked at the broken weapon, then at Garrick. The seriousness slowly left his face as let out a long and controlled exhale. After a moment, he tossed the broken training sword aside.

Garrick succeeded at sitting upright after a moment, but standing proved more ambitious. Edric walked over prompting Garrick looked up at him.

"So…you did say 'meaningful'." Edric stared at him for a few moments, then offered one arm. Edric hauled him upright with embarrassing ease once Garrick grabbed it. For several seconds Garrick simply stood there, concentrating on remaining vertical. Edric watched him.

"That ability of yours seems quite versatile." Garrick laughed weakly.

"It feels half-finished."

"You changed between five different drakes in less than a minute."

"That's not the problem." Edric's brow furrowed.

"You ran out of Weave doing it."

"Not from switching," Garrick steadied himself.

"The switch barely matters."

"What matters?"

"What I do after." Edric attention sharpened. Garrick considered how to explain it. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"The drakes don't give me one technique. Kindle doesn't give me 'hot muscles'. He gives me… well… Kindle." Edric said nothing.

"If I imagine what Kindle could do in my position, Concordance lets me reach toward that."

"The muscle heating and the gauntlets."

"Yes." Edric glanced toward where the frost had been.

"Nimbus."

"I imagined what she'd do if someone grabbed her."

"Freeze them." Garrick nodded.

"Clover?"

"Greenbind."

"Shale?" Garrick smiled faintly.

"Hit something very hard." Edric's eyes narrowed.

"And Aegis?"

"Speed; lightning… The sword."

"Only those?" Garrick hesitated.

"No." Edric went still.

"How many techniques do you have for each?"

"Tthere isn't a list," Garrick shrugged.

"It depends on what I can imagine them doing." Silence; Edric's expression did not change dramatically. He simply stopped looking at Garrick like a teenager with an unusually useful skill.

"You're saying Concordance does not grant fixed abilities."

"Right."

"And your application determines the technique."

"Yes." Edric looked away. Garrick could almost see him recalculating.

"Then why don't you use Nimbus's waterjet?"

"I can't. I can imagine it, but that isn't the problem. The restriction comes from…"

"Your Weave," Edric surmised aloud. Garrick nodded.

"I can feel when something is beyond me… Like Aegis. I could imagine breathing lightning, but doing so feels like trying to lift a house." Edric's expression tightened.

"Same with Nimbus?"

"I could probably make water, but not a jet like hers."

"Kindle?"

"Maybe fire someday." Edric went quiet again. He looked toward the training yard, then the broken weapon.

"Rest." Garrick blinked.

"What?"

"For the day."

"But—""Your reserve is nearly empty. You've learned enough." Garrick frowned. Edric started walking away.

"We spar again soon."

"How soon?"

"When I decide," Edric looked over one shoulder.

"I have ideas now for how to train you." That did not sound better. Edric continued toward the weapon rack without another word. Garrick considered asking, then decided some questions did not require immediate answers.

"Rather impressive, bro." Garrick froze. He looked to each side, but found nothing. He frowned.

"Talia?" A giggle came from somewhere near the low stone fence. Garrick turned, but there was nobody there. Then the air slowly changed. A figure emerged where there had previously been stone and empty space. Blonde hair and a smug expression came into view. Talia sat on the fence with one leg crossed over the other. Garrick's eyes widened.

"What was that?" She smiled.

"Stealth."

"You were invisible." Talia hopped down.

"Sort of. If I stay still—or move slowly enough—I sort of disappear from notice."

"That sounds the same as being invisible."

"It's more sophisticated than that."

"You don't know what sophisticated means."

"Roy uses it." Garrick rolled his eyes.

"When did you get that?"

"A few days ago."

"How?" Talia smiled. Garrick immediately became suspicious.

"What did you do?"

"I was observing people."

"Spying."

"Observing secretly."

"Still spying." She waved one hand.

"I wanted to know how Dorian's workers treated Clover and Spark when they thought nobody from Drakehaven was watching." Garrick stared.

"You hid in his warehouse."

"Near it."

"If someone catches you doing that, they're going to think we don't trust them."

"They didn't catch me."

"That isn't reassuring."

"It should be." Garrick sighed.

"At least tell me they were doing something worth spying on."

"Nope," Talia smiled brightly.

"They treated them perfectly well."

"So you invaded everyone's privacy and discovered nothing."

"I confirmed good behavior," Talia folded her arms.

"You're grouchy because Edric nearly killed you."

"He did not nearly kill me." She looked toward the blast marks in the dirt. Garrick followed her gaze.

"Fine." Talia grinned. She began walking beside Garrick as he slowly headed toward the shade.

"Speaking of Clover and Spark, why aren't you with them now?"

"Roy is. He's at Dorian's place helping organize more material for the road this afternoon."

"They've only been working three days."

"And?"

"That sounds like a lot of supplies."

"It is a road." Garrick nodded.

"How is it going?"

"Mostly smoothly. Altered wolves attacked the first day." He stopped.

"What?"

"Everyone's fine. Aegis killed them."

"That isn't the part I—""Orion summoned a fortress apparently." Garrick stared, but Talia just smiled.

"I wasn't there, so no questions." Garrick rubbed his face.

"Anything else?"

"Orion is reading now." Garrick lowered his hand.

"What?"

"Edric gave him a book."

"That might actually be the least believable part."

"I know." They reached the edge of the yard. Garrick sat beneath a tree, which his legs welcomed enthusiastically. Talia sat nearby and enjoyed the silence for a few moments. Garrick watched Edric farther away examining the remains of his training weapon.

"What have you actually been doing? Besides observing people without their knowledge."

"Surveying." Garrick nodded.

"That part I knew."

"I like it."

"Flying around?"

"That too," she smiled.

"Zephyr makes everything easier." Garrick had seen the Gale Drake fly enough times to understand. Talia continued.

"But mapping is interesting."

"Really?"

"Yes. You get to see how things connect. Roads, farms, water, and whatnot." Garrick smiled.

"That sounds boring."

"You punch Edric voluntarily."

"Fair." Talia leaned back on her hands.

"Eventually I want to do more of the actual Envoy work."

"Like Bellhaven?"

"Beyond Bellhaven," Her expression brightened.

"Other settlements. Trade agreements. Maybe finding people who want to work with Drakehaven."

"You sound excited."

"I am," then she sighed.

"But I can't exactly disappear for several days while Clover and Spark still need someone watching them."

"Roy can."

"Roy has a road."

"Aurelia?"

"Healing."

"Orion?"

"Apparently reading." Garrick laughed. Talia nudged him with one foot.

"What about you? You're getting stronger." Garrick shrugged.

"That's basically all I do."

"That was sad."

"It wasn't meant to be," Garrick looked toward the training yard.

"You have a job. I just train all day." Talia stared.

"The System literally told everyone to prepare for Velkaryn. If that means war, having you as juiced up as physically possible might be one of the most useful things we can do." Garrick looked at her.

"Juiced? That is your diplomatic vocabulary?"

"Yes." He laughed. The two sat in silence for a handful more minutes, enjoying the brief moment of peace before their work overran them again.

"Did you really just come here to watch me get beaten?"

"I absolutely did."" Only that?" She hesitated - tiny, but enough. Garrick narrowed his eyes.

"What?" She looked away.

"I wanted to ask you about Rowan."

"Oh?"

"What?"

"You came to ask me about him," Garrick's smile widened.

"Do you like him?" Talia's face twisted.

"No."

"You sure? You spend a surprising amount of time thinking about him."

"I spend a surprising amount of time thinking about whether he's strange."

"Romantic." She punched his shoulder. He grinned.

"What about Rowan?" Talia's humor faded.

"The others said yes."

"To Drakehaven?" She nodded.

"Whenever I finish the paperwork." Garrick blinked.

"You've been sitting on that?"

"A little."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Garrick waited. He knew Talia possessed the Relevant Detail skill. He knew well enough by now to recognize when Talia was circling something it had made difficult to ignore.

"Something keeps bothering you."

"His focus." Garrick frowned.

"On what?"

"Getting stronger."

"That describes almost everyone."

"Not like him," Talia struggled with the wording.

"It isn't one thing. He asks about Awakenings, he pays attention to your training, and he's diligent about noticing things that might lead to growth." She counted lightly against her fingers.

"The drakes. Your Concordance. The settlement. Opportunities to fight. People stronger than him." Garrick considered.

"That doesn't sound bad. Rowan wants to Awaken, and he's been stuck watching us do things he can't."

"I know," Talia looked frustrated.

"That is the problem." Garrick frowned.

"Relevant Detail isn't telling me he's lying or dangerous."

"Then maybe he's just ambitious." Talia sighed.

"That is what I keep telling myself." Garrick rested his head against the tree.

"I've known him longer. He always wants more, but not in some evil way."

"I didn't say evil."

"I know," Garrick looked toward her.

"He's charismatic and helpful. He came out to Drakehaven and worked without anyone asking." Talia nodded.

"I saw." Garrick shrugged.

"I don't see what you're seeing." There was no defensiveness in the words, which Talia seemed almost relieved by. Garrick continued.

"But if your skill keeps making you notice it, don't ignore it either." Talia looked at him.

"That's unhelpfully reasonable."

"I have moments." She smiled slightly, then looked toward Bellhaven.

"My bigger problem isn't really Rowan."

"What is?"

"How do we know who is safe to let live with us? Right now everyone is someone we already know or have reasonable character references for. But what happens when Drakehaven has fifty people?" Garrick's smile slowly faded as he thought about the question.

"Someone shows up and says they want to move there. How do we know they aren't terrible?" Garrick opened his mouth, then closed it.

"What if they're from somewhere we don't know?" Garrick shrugged.

"Trial period?"

"How long?" Garrick sighed.

"No idea." Talia nodded.

"Exactly." They sat quietly. It was strange how often Drakehaven's problems seemed to come down to the fact that they had accidentally become responsible for something larger than a household. Garrick finally spoke.

"We should probably bring it up to everyone." Talia nodded.

"Eventually."

"And Rowan?" She sighed.

"I'll finish it." Garrick looked over.

"You're sure?"

"No. At the end of the day, though, I think I'm probably overthinking it."

"Good."

"I still want to watch him just incase, though," she smiled.

"He won't know."

"That is the part I keep objecting to." Talia stood. Garrick looked up.

"Where are you going?"

"Food." He frowned.

"It isn't dinner yet."

"No," she brushed dust from her clothes.

"But by the time you slowly limp across Bellhaven, it might be."

"I can walk."

"Can you?" Garrick planted one hand against the ground to push himself upright, but his legs immediately shook. He sat back down.

"Temporary."

"Of course." Talia offered him a hand and helped pull him up.

"For surviving Edric, I will buy you dinner." Garrick steadied himself.

"That sounds generous."

"It isn't."

"What are you buying?"

"The cheapest thing I can find."

"There it is." She started toward town, with Garrick following at a considerably slower pace. Talia looked back.

"Rather impressive, bro." He narrowed his eyes.

"You already used that one - and you're still being sarcastic."

"Absolutely." Garrick smiled despite himself.

"Dinner better be good."

"Don't get your hopes up too high."