The "dojo" as it was called was located through a gate that Dee had made. The wisp of smoke in the Gate was colored green and red, but the unfamiliar color didn't seem to faze any of the people that walked through it. Noah followed behind everybody else and ended up in the mysterious new place. What they walked into was a room that was empty except for the five of them. The first steps were onto a sandy ground surrounded by five rows of bleachers. Above the bleachers were windows that let the bright midday sun into the dojo. The roof of the building was made of thin looking metal painted green. At the tall ends of the rectangular sand arena were racks full of practice weapons made of wood. When Noah turned around, he saw a small wooden table with a white line drawn down the middle. Katrine had already begun walking over to one of the sides with a weapon rack. Dee, meanwhile, was reaching into his pocket with a smile on his face.
"Anyone care to place their bets?" Dee asked, pulling out his hand and producing five gold coins. Isdiel shook her head before going to claim a seat at the bottom level of the bleachers. Teague had conjured up his Item Box and retrieved his coin purse before sending the box back.
"Ten pieces on Katrine," Teague said, pulling out ten gold coins of his own and placing them on the half of the table pointing towards the end where Katrine was. When Noah looked over at him, feeling almost betrayed by the Brawler, Teague just shrugged and smiled at him. "Sorry man. You're good, but she's ridiculous."
"Shut it!" Katrine shouted from her end of the room. She had one of the shorter wooden swords in her hand, testing its weight.
"That's ten gold on the young lady with a temper," Dee stated, looking over to Isdiel yet again. "Are you sure you don't want to play along, ma'am?"
"No thank you," Isdiel said. Her tone was polite, but she didn't look why she was too pleased to be sitting here and watching the two duke it out. "I'll be your impartial referee."
"Good, good. That's a good idea." Then Dietrich looked over at Noah, who was still standing around confused as to what he was getting himself into. "You want to wager on yourself, fae boy?"
"No thanks," Noah answered as he shook his head. He finally turned away from them and walked over to his own side where the weapons were. As he was walking away, he could hear the whispers of Dee and Teague further discussing their little gamble. There was an audible clunk and soft clinks of metal. Noah glanced behind him to see that the Dee had dropped a small pouch, presumably full of coins, on the table.
On Noah's side of the table.
Noah found this curious and continued to think about it as he reached the weapon rack. As he pulled out one of the mock wooden longswords, he wondered why Dee would put what was probably a sizeable amount of coins down on Noah's victory. The fae softly swung the sword, observing its weight and the comfort he had with it. Noah thought it would do fine for this little bout he would be having, but Dee's wager was still on his mind. Did this stranger know something about him, or about people like him?
Probably knows something about faes, Noah thought while he gave the sword some proper swings. It was getting more comfortable in his hand, though it still made him miss his regular steel sword. The reason that they were wooden was clear to Noah. It may have been called a "duel," but the idea of hurting another adventurer was not something Noah imagined many people would be keen on.
"Duelists, please take your positions!" Isdiel announced to the room. Katrine started walking towards the center of the arena, and Noah mimicked her. Again, Noah found his eyes wandering to the table where the wagers were. That gray cloth pouch full of coins just couldn't leave his mind.
What does he know that I don't? Noah thought as he drew closer to the center. He started to study Katrine further as she approached, looking for any advantage that he might've had over the girl. He was bigger than Katrine, but Noah knew from his fights with kobolds and from Lola's solo encounter with that giant monster the other day that size was not a guaranteed advantage.
Maybe it was their weapon choices. Noah had picked the mock longsword, a weapon with reach and versatility. Katrine on the other hand had picked a shorter mock sword and a mock dagger. Simply looking at the weapons, one could guess that Noah held the superiority in the reach department. There was no way Dee would've known what weapons they would pick, though. No, it was probably something different.
"Are we ready now?" Isdiel asked. The two fighters had reached the center of the ring, standing only a few paces away from each other. Katrine looked confident, a cocky grin on her face as her hands and weapons stood ready in her hands. Noah, on the other hand, looked very confused. Not just by the unfamiliarity of the situation, but by his continued bewilderment at Dee's bet.\
"Yes we are!" Katrine replied.
Noah felt himself suddenly brought back to full attention on his current situation. This wasn't like fighting monsters as far as he knew. His life wasn't going to be in danger from Katrine's wooden weapons. So he shouldn't worry too much about causing real damage with his own mock sword. Something in his mind was telling him to hold back, though. It would be polite, Noah thought. She should be out of practice. And this is more to shut her up than anything.
"Noah!" Isdiel yelled. "You ready?"
The look of confusion had faded from Noah's face. He was starting to form his initial plan of attack. His eyes locked onto Katrine's, and he wore his own cocky grin as he stared at her.
"Ready!" Noah replied.
"GO!" the three in the stand shouted. So the duel began.
Noah's opening attack was basic. He stepped in fast as he could and swung the wooden sword hard as he could at Katrine's midsection. While not expecting the attack to work too well and mainly trying to gauge his foe, Noah was genuinely surprised with how quickly Katrine had backstepped to dodge the blow. Her hat had moved slightly atop her head with the motion. Noah's shock lasted long enough for Katrine to readjust her beret and then make her own advance.
There had been an offhand comment when they were walking earlier. Isdiel had said something to Katrine along the lines of taking it easy and making sure that she was ready to exert herself. Noah had brushed it off as just friendly conversation between the girls at first, but he had accounted it into his battle plan against Katrine. He had expected the girl to be able to replicate her old form for a little bit, but she would get fatigued quickly and must slow down so as not to hurt herself.
That was far from the case. Katrine's assault was relentless as she continued pressing forward. Her strikes with her short sword were quick, but Noah could hardly track the lightning swipes of her mock dagger. He would barely manage to block the attack from the short sword with his own weapon, and then Katrine would swing her dagger and catch his arm or his side with it. Noah hadn't expected the wooden weapons to hurt that much. It only took a few hard hits for him to be proven wrong.
"Show him what you got, Kat!" Teague shouted out at one point. Katrine had jabbed the dagger hard into Noah's gut, making him double over out of breath and in a great deal of pain. She stepped back, that same cocky grin on her face as before. Noah realized as she stepped back that she had been going easy on him at first. Katrine could've delivered that devastating blow to him at any point. He hadn't been thinking about keeping his stomach safe somehow. She was just toying with him before, and now Katrine was going to take her time inflicting as much pain as possible and putting Noah in his place.
"Don't give up Noah!" Isdiel shouted after slapping Teague on the back of the head.
Noah looked over at the group on the bleachers. Isdiel had a look of worry in her eyes because this duel was going just as badly as she had envisioned. He saw Teague looking back and forth between the duel and the table with the wagers, his eyes bright and a big goofy grin on his face. Noah felt betrayed at that moment alone, not thinking what Teague was thinking. He was not thinking that even if Katrine did win, she wouldn't cause any permanent damage. There would be severe pain of course, but no permanent harm done to the fae.
Then there was Dee. The black-haired elf was watching the duel closely, his eyes studying each and every exchange between them. He sat there hunched over with his elbows perched on his knees and his hands up to his face. His fingers pressed to his nose as he covered his mouth, hiding it from the others. Noah imagined there was a glum look on the hidden part of his face, but that was incorrect. Dee was just passively observing the duel.
Despite the protests of his mind, Noah went back to standing up straight. The pain in his stomach had become tolerable, but he knew that another blow like that would easily take him down. There had to be something Noah had. It was that thing that Dee had bet on. Noah had no reason to trust the stranger's gut feeling. Though, that's the only thing that he really had to go on.
Why do you care? Noah asked himself. You really have no reason to want to win this. It's just a pissing contest. She wants to prove she's better. She's definitely better.
Who says she is? a little voice under his own thoughts said. She spent the whole day taunting you. Beat her here and she won't say anything to you anymore.
I provoked her.
She's too easily riled. Think of it as teaching her a lesson.
"Everything alright, seri?" Katrine said. Noah just realized he had been standing there frozen for a while. He didn't know where that little nagging voice had come from, but that wasn't the biggest problem he had. Katrine closed the distance between them in a less than a second. Noah gasped when he felt the edge of her wooden dagger digging slowly into his belly.
"Don't worry," Katrine whispered. "I'll only be hurting you for a little longer. And then you can run home with your tail between your legs." She started pushing the dagger harder against Noah. It was starting to get painful.
"Maybe you can ask Izzy to lick your wounds for you. Or maybe you'd prefer that little maid girl that I heard about."
Any of the hesitations that Noah had before were being released. The decision to take it easy on her was gone. The fact he had only ever attacked monsters before and was worried about hurting another person stopped mattering. The bit of his mind that told him it was just proper not to go around hurting women seemed to disappear. Noah was driven by something far less controllable and far more powerful than proper strategy when it came to one on one fights.
Unbridled anger.
How dare she talk about her like that? The little voice in Noah's mind said to him. Noah took hold of Katrine's wrist that was holding the dagger. He started to twist it hard as he could, holding her hand up above her head. Katrine cried in pain as the mock dagger fell to the ground.
She knows nothing! The little voice was getting louder, and angrier. In a fit of desperation, Katrine swung with her other weapon. Instinctively Noah blocked the mock sword with his own. Katrine was left with both arms extended out, standing completely defenseless. Isdiel let out a sharp gasp and Teague's dumb grin was starting to fade away. Dee continued to watch with full interest as Noah started rearing his head back.
"No mise!" Noah roared as he drove his head forward.
Crack!
That was the sound that filled the dojo. Both suffered damage from the unexpected headbutt. Katrine's state was far worse, though. After Noah released her hand, Katrine started stumbling backward in a daze. In the case of Noah, he was only left with another light pain in his head to add to the rest of the wounds on his body.
She still stands! The little voice noted. Not for long, however. Katrine had stumbled back a few more steps and then fell right on her ass. A bit of blood was starting to flow from the point of mutual forehead impact, and her landing had also caused the beret to fall off her head onto the sand below.
End it, the voice said softly.
No need, Noah replied to it. She's done.
She still breathes.
She doesn't need to die.
She insulted your woman.
She's not my woman.
Just finish her off!
"Leave me alone!" Noah shouted aloud. Even in her horribly dazed state Katrine had found herself looking up at her opponent. Everyone else in the room was looking at him too. Isdiel and Teague had worried looks on her face, while Dee continued with his intent observation.
Noah wanted to scream. A horrible feeling was starting to run from his chest and down his arm. A terrible feeling that somehow filled the places it touched with cold and at the same time charged him with electricity. It was similar to the energy he had felt moving through his body when he used skills. But unlike that warm feeling that preceded skills, this feeling felt harsh and unforgiving. Noah indeed wanted to scream, but he couldn't open his mouth. He couldn't move any part of his body at all. He was trapped in his own body, and something else had taken control.
That something was starting to walk towards the young lady still lying on the ground.
No! Noah wanted to shout, but it still felt like his jaw was wired shut. His arm was starting to lift up, and the mock weapon was pointed down at Katrine. As Noah stood over, he finally felt that sick, cold energy leaving his body through his fingertips. He watched in wonder (horror) as a purple glow had started to surround his mock weapon. The glow intensified and seemed to spread as it covered the blade entirely. It looked as if he was holding a blade of pure, purple light. That blade was humming quietly, and unlike the mock sword he had been holding before, Noah saw that this blade of light had a very sharp edge to it.
That'll kill her, Noah thought.
It serves her right, the little voice replied.
All this just for making fun of me?
You have no pride.
Fuck off.
Now take back your honor.
I won't kill her for that.
Weakling! It is for the tears of your moth-
There was no need for Noah to continue replying. The voice had been cut off yet again. There was a sharp sting in Noah's arm and suddenly the fae had gained full control again. He tossed the mock sword aside, the light having disappeared it from it the moment that Noah had gained control again. He winced as he grabbed hold of his arm. There was a horrid sharp pain that pulsed through the length of it, but it faded away as soon as it had happened. It was then he noticed the source of the sting that he had felt further down his arm. It was a green card, the edge having barely managed to dig into his hand. Noah pulled the card out with little more than an "Ow" before letting it flutter down to the floor.
The three spectators had long since abandoned their seats and were coming over to the two combatants. Teague had run over to Noah's side and started checking the arm that had held the blade of light. Isdiel had kneeled beside Katrine, her hands already out above her friend and glowing with their healing magic. Dee was carrying up the rear slowly, and Noah could spot three more green cards in his hand as he approached.
"Well, looks like we're interfering," Dee said. With a flick of his wrist, the cards that were once in his hand disappeared. He took a spot standing on Noah's other side. He rested his elbow on Noah's shoulder and watched as Isdiel continued with her healing magic.
"What's up with the cards?" Teague asked. Noah was curious as well. Dee had really thrown the card far enough, and hard enough, to break Noah's skin from across the dojo.
"They're trick weapons," Dee explained.
"Trick weapons?" Noah asked. Teague had a look of confusion on his face as well.
"Gamblers are good with trick weapons, and I'm a Gambler." Dee flicked his wrist yet again. This time, a red card had appeared in his hand. He handed the card to Teague who started closely examining it. "Got some for all kinds of situations. The edges are sharp, so I can throw them or use them like really short knives."
"Do the colors mean anything?" Noah asked.
"They sure do. That red card explodes when I throw it." Teague eyes immediately went wide, and he (almost too carefully) handed the card back to Dee. Dee returned the card to wherever it went with his little wrist flick trick. "The green card I hit you with is just a magic suppressant. You won't be using any spells for a few minutes, but it looks like it calmed you down."
"I'm glad it worked," Teague said. "What the hell was that anyway, Noah? You scared us back there."
"I don't know," Noah answered. "I just-. I just had no control of myself. I could see everything happen. But I had no control."
"It's Faeblood," Katrine said. Isdiel had finished her healing so Katrine had started to pick herself up off the ground. She looked more pissed off than she did hurt. Somehow her beret had ended up back on her head as well. "Get that shit under control. Then I can kick your ass proper."
"Kat," Isdiel murmured. "Don't. Please. For me?"
Katrine looked to Isdiel, biting her lip gently as she looked at her long-time friend. Then she looked over to Noah and scowled at him.
"I'm sor-" Noah began to say.
"Open the Gate back to town Dee," Katrine cut him off. Dee obliged, holding out his hand and opening another gate. This one had the familiar wisp of white smoke floating around in it. Katrine and Isdiel were the first to go, with the latter throwing Noah a very disappointed frown as she stepped through the portal.
"I really am sorry," Noah said to Teague. Even he had a hard time believing it entirely. He recalled the moments throughout his final assault. In those moments, he felt entirely justified in his rage. And that little voice. That little voice that just wouldn't leave him be. It had been quiet since the end of the duel, but Noah was worried about its return. Would he be able to argue against the mysterious thing in his mind the next time?
Or would Noah lose control again, and really kill someone?
--
The back porch of The Risen Moon usually served as the break area for the maids and other workers. Under the soft lantern light, they would come back there and sit down on one of the swings or at the big round table back there. During their short breaks they would rest their feet, have a glass of wine, or smoke some of the lovely Hope Tobacco that was so popular with the people of Remnant. Not that the porch was closed off to the adventurers. The view from it was quite nice, and many adventurers enjoyed the solitude it usually provided. They would sit on the swing, a cold beer in their hands as they looked out into the little fish pond that Monsieur Poe had left out there. Sometimes the moonlight would shimmer off the little fishes' silver scales, and the tiny glimmers would dance around in the water.
No fish were dancing for Noah that night. The bottle of honey flavored ale that he had come to enjoy so much had hardly been touched. He sat all alone on the porch that night, the events of the day still weighing heavily on his mind. He felt a mix of different emotions. Being the first time his feelings had gotten so complicated, Noah was also left in a horrible state of bewilderment.
At the forefront, he was still mad at Katrine for the constant teasing. He was a "seri," but everyone else in the party had been kind enough to stop calling him that constantly. When she finally did say his name, it was with such contempt and spite. Even when they were fighting, she continued to taunt him. Not just with the insult that had driven Noah over the edge, either. Katrine had toyed with him in the duel. If it hadn't been for the Faeblood, Katrine would've continued her pummeling of Noah.
The next feeling Noah had was the fear of the Faeblood itself. The first thing he did upon returning to Remnant proper was go up to his room and open up his Adventurer's Guide. He skipped directly ahead to the section on races, and then found his way to the part that was talking about faes. There was no useful information on the Faeblood though. He did learn that faes were members of a larger group called mirklings, and that they were easy to distinguish from elves due to how their ears were shaped. There was a section that mentioned they were a proud yet reclusive group, and they mostly stuck to their cities deep in the Mirkwood. When it came to the Faeblood though, nothing of any substance was mentioned. The Guide told him that Faeblood was the power of his ancestors that moved through his own silver blood. Did that mean the little voice he had heard was the voice of his ancestors? That would explain the fixation on pride it had showed before it shut up. Noah had shut the book in frustration of not having his questions answered, and that was when he came down to the empty back porch.
Another thing Noah was thinking about was Dee. He was still very curious about the elf's odd demeanor and actions. He gathered some strangers out of nowhere, made them fight, bet on them, and then stopped their fight with just a flick of his wrist. That behavior seemed strange to Noah. Not that he had the best grasp of what was normal behavior. Even so, Dee's actions just felt out of the ordinary. His strange "trick weapons" also stayed on Noah's mind. He had no idea that people could wield something that seemed so ordinary as cards as tools for battle. Very, very sharp tools. That could also explode.
Lastly there was the look that Isdiel had given him and all that it implied in his mind. That one shifted positions of importance in Noah's mind, but he knew it wasn't going to leave him soon. The girl left before he could even explain that he had no control. Isdiel just looked so disappointed in him, and that look made Noah's stomach turn. She probably hated him, now. Noah had turned a sword on his comrade. Soon, Rapide would be coming down to see him, and Noah would be kicked out of the party. Teague wouldn't hang out with him anymore. Noah would be back to how he was when he woke up a little more than a week ago.
Alone.
The door leading back into the tavern creaked open. Noah looked back to see it was Rapide, Roy, Teague, and even Dee stepping out onto the porch. Teague was holding a tall bottle of clear liquor in his hand, Roy was holding a wooden crate full of something that was clanking, Rapide was five tiny glasses, and Dee had arrived empty handed.
"Rapide," Noah greeted before turning back around to face the pond. There were loud thuds and more clanking, and Noah imagined they were putting the things that they had brought onto the table. There was a softer thud, probably the sound of Roy opening his box. Noah really wished they would've just left him alone. He figured he would leave quietly once they had stopped moving everything around.
It was not that easy though. With a big hoist on the back of his collar, Noah realized what was happening. He didn't even protest as Roy picked him up off his spot from the seat and carried him over to plop him down in a chair at the table. Sitting on the table in front of him was one of the small glasses, now filled with the clear liquor. Sitting on one side of him was Teague, on the other was Dee, Rapide sat across from him, and Roy took his seat beside the party leader.
"Noah," Rapide greeted him, holding up his own full glass. "Be glad to know you are not fired."
Everyone else at the table, even Dee, raised their glass with Rapide. Noah continued to sit there, blown away by Rapide's impeccable timing.
"How did you know-," Noah started to ask.
"These two told us what happened," Roy answered, gesturing to Dee and Teague. "And then we confirmed with Katrine and Isdiel."
"One of the maids spotted you out here moping," Rapide continued. "So we figured we'd come out here and cheer you up some. As for the whole 'not fired' thing, I figured you were thinking of the worst thing possible. Did you really think we'd kick you out over a little thing like that."
"But I-"
"Stop," Roy said. "Kat shouldn't have underestimated you. And this is only the second time you've ever used the Faeblood."
Second time? Noah thought, not wanting to state his increasing confusion aloud.
"You used it when we were down in the goblin tunnels," Teague explained when he saw the bewildered look on Noah's face. "I guess Isdiel didn't tell you about it."
"Faeblood is powerful, but it's also a bit mysterious to non-fae," Dee further explained. "No one should expect you to control it this early on."
Noah felt the strange urge to cry. Not because he was disappointed himself that the Faeblood was something beyond his control still. He felt like he was so happy he was going to burst. Rapide, the leader that he looked up to, didn't hate him. Teague, his good friend since he had stumbled into the tavern one night, didn't hate him. Noah could gleam hope from Roy's words that Isdiel, the woman who had advised him and given him his first real kiss, would maybe speak to him again. Also, Katrine might've forgiven him too, or at least Noah could dream of it. He didn't care too much if she liked him all that much, but if they were going to be adventuring together Noah would rather not have someone with a massive grudge against him tagging along.
"Enough of this sentimental stuff," Teague said, downing his drink in one gulp. "Drink, motherfuckers!"
"You motherfuckers heard him," Rapide said. He, Roy, and Dee inhaled their drinks as well. Noah picked his own glass up, looking at it hesitantly. This was probably the exact same drink that Teague had given him on his first night. Noah's joy was slowly starting to die down as he remembered the fire that burned his throat before. The need to fit in and enjoy himself properly surged forward, though, and Noah drank it quickly. The liquid flame scorched its way down Noah's throat, but he managed to fight the urge to retch the stuff back up. Teague clapped Noah hard on the back, and Roy's deep chuckle echoed along the empty porch.
"Motherfucker, that's awful," Noah told Teague. Everyone burst out laughing at Noah's comment. It was the first time he had heard Dee laugh, the shrill cackling actually making Teague jump off his seat.
"You'll like this better," Dee said, reaching into the open crate at the middle of the table. He pulled out a bottle of the same honey beer Noah had been drinking. Once the bottle was open, Noah took a swig out of the thing. With his new high spirits, the sweet taste of the ale was even better on his tongue.
"Now Mr. Dietrich," Rapide said. "I was promised a card game in recompense for your screw up."
"That you were Mr. Rapide." Dee conjured his Item Box, and all their eyes were drawn to the box. Unlike their simple, wooden chests, Dee's Item Box was much more ornate. The locks and trim were colored gold, while the wood of his chest had been painted scarlet. Dee didn't allow them to suffer in their envy for long. He pulled two decks and sent his Item Box away.
"Those aren't the ones that'll blow up, right?" Teague asked as they were dealt their hands.
"No, Mr. Teague," Dee answered as he dealt the last of the cards. "I'm all out of surprises for the day."