A gentle knock woke Aeris from his dreamless slumber. He sighed and sat up not bothering to get himself dressed. His tired hand wrapped around the knob of his door and drug it open.
"Good morning!" Percy chirped
"Time to run drills?" Aeris said with a weary sigh.
"Indeed it is, I took the liberty to fetch young Phenius for you as well my lord." Percy mocked
"Let me get dressed and I'll meet the two of you in the garden."
The door closed and Aeris felt an overwhelming temptation to crawl back into his bed. He resisted and instead splashed his face with cold water from a crystal bowl by his door, and got dressed for training.
The morning air had a bit of a chill to it as night time winds from the sea washed ashore. Aeris held a small box in his hands as he found the two men waiting on him.
"What do you know of wand dueling Phenius?"
"I know the basics." Phenius replied uneasily.
Aeris sat the box down on a stone pedestal and opened it. "Come pick out a wand."
Phenius approached cautiously and Aeris took a few slow steps to the left. After a few seconds he grabbed a short oak wand, it was straight and had no decorations on it but it would get the job done.
"A fine choice." Aeris said warmly, "now show me form 1."
Phenius nodded and awkwardly held the wand in the palm of his hand tucking his elbow in and holding the forearm out at an odd angle. Aeris stepped forward and paused
"May i make a few adjustments?"
Phenius nodded and Aeris moved the elbow closer to the hip and gently guided his forearm to a 75 degree angle from the body.
"Ease your grip just a tad." Percy helped from the sidelines
Phenius relaxed his hand, the wand resting on the palm of his hand.
"The art of dueling itself is a dance, the wand is your partner. One must be comfortable with their partner in order to make a good show." Aeris said stepping back from Phenius.
"Of course the show is only half of the duel." Percy added
"The more important half." Aeris chuckled "Percy grab yourself a wand and pair off against young Phenius."
Percy rolled his eyes and grabbed a wand from the box waving it at Aeris harmlessly,
"Phenius what can you tell me about form 1?"
"Form 1 is highly adaptive using both offensive and defensive moves to its advantage. It is also the perfect counter to form 3."
Aeris raised his eyebrows, "just the basics?" He said with a chuckle
"I like to read."
"An excellent pass time, can you tell me what form one's counter is?"
"Form 3?"
"Are you sure?"
"No"
"It is form 2, Percy show us form 2."
Percy complied, gripping his wand in his fingers fully extending his arm out in front of him placing the same foot forward and turning his body sideways.
"Can you tell me why form 1 would be weak to this?" Aeris asked
"His body is turned sideways so he's harder to target with the type of maneuvers I'd be able to fluidly pull off from this stance."
"That's the obvious answer but anyone skilled enough in form 1 will be able to take on anyone using form 2."
"Is that what you're going to teach me?"
"Is that what you want to learn?"
There was a long pause. Phenius lowered his arm, he thought for a moment and then turned to Aeris.
"I want to learn what you do."
"Be an absolute ass?" Percy said with a chuckle
"I think what he means is to mirror. You know I've taught Percy to mirror but he still favors form 4."
"So you're saying I can't learn?"
"On the contrary, I will teach you to mirror and if you decide you prefer one form over the others I will help you excel in that form."
"Now comes the fun part." Percy said returning his wand to the box
"Yes indeed, Phenius how fast can you run?"
The three spent the morning running, doing drills to practice the basic moves of each form and doing other exercises. When the sun was at its highest they finished. Now in the sitting area Aeris was scanning the books he'd brought from his old house. He found one titled "The Glacier Wars" and handed it to Phenius.
"Have you read this?"
"I can't say that I have." Phenius said studying the cover.
"Well read it and in a month we will talk over it." Aeris said with a smile.
A loud knock bounced off the walls of the study. Percy looked to Aeris with a confused look and he shrugged, stepped to the door and quickly opened it.
"Master Aeris, Lord Selaise has requested your presence." Came the brief reply of a palace guard.
"Excellent, inform him I'll be right there."
"Right away sire." The guard said and rushed off into the hall
Aeris turned to the two men sitting in the study, "it appears I have been summoned." Aeris said with a deep bow.
" "
The Lord's wing was heavily guarded, a group of guards patrolled the hallways, eyes alert and backs stiff. A pair of armed guards stood at the door to the Lord's study.
"Greetings Master Aeris, the lord awaits you."
"Thank you gentlemen." He said with a smile
Aeris found himself amazed, a feeling he was getting used to, by the interior of the study. He stepped onto plush violet carpet with gold filigree splashed about. The walls were mostly floor to ceiling bookshelves and the center of the room was dominated by a large globe. A small desk was nestled in the back corner of the room which is where the lord sat, accompanied by a raven haired woman. When he entered both of them turned to see him. Aeris's eyes met the stunning violet pupils of Lady Olivia Selaise. She greeted him with a smile that showered his mind with sparks. His breath hitched and he stopped in his tracks.
"Excellent!" Lord Selaise said breaking the brief tension that started to form. "This is my Sister and spymaster. Lady Olivia, of course no one outside this room knows of her secondary title."
"We've met." Olivia said with a slight incline of her head.
"At the ball" Aeris managed to squeeze out.
A boisterous laugh boomed from the Lord. "You must tell me of the tale sometime, for now we have business."
"Business?" Aeris asked finally prying his eyes from Lady Selaise
"Indeed, first order of business is you've been invited to the city of Chancia to spar with Kinaas Everwai the Champion of the city."
"Ah, we briefly spoke of it last night." Aeris recalled
"So you'll be accepting? I would very much like to see how you fare against the Lion of Chancia." Lord Selaise said raising his eyebrow
"Absolutely, I will accept."
"Noted, I'll inform you of the time and date, next we have to oversee a duel in Chapel Square at sundown." The Lord said reading off a list on his desk.
"A duel?"
"Indeed, when one of my Nobles is challenged or makes a challenge it is mine and my champion's duty to oversee them."
"Which of your Nobles was challenged?"
"Count Maris, it appears him and one of the merchants have fallen for the same woman."
"Intriguing." Aeris said with a smile
If there was one thing Aeris enjoyed more than dueling it was watching duels. He'd watched Percy duel many times, and enjoyed them all. Of course that might have been because he was watching his best friend but he watched other duels before.
"And lastly Lady Selaise has something to discuss."
"Indeed, I had my eyes open at the ball last night and most everything seemed alright but towards the end one of my spies noticed a figure lurking in the gardens, we tracked him down and captured him but he refuses to answer any questions."
"Do you still have him?" The Lord asked
"Of course, we won't let him go until he answers us."
"What do you think of this Aeris?"
"If there's something he isn't telling us it probably means he was up to no good. I suggest easing up a bit, let him stew in it. Let his mind wander a bit about what comes next. Then put the pressure on him."
Lady Selaise looked thoughtful as she hummed "that's good advice."
"Glad you approve."
" "
Chapel Square was one district away from the Lord's estate, a large Cathedral took up the majority of the square, it's walls old and painted with cracks. Fine white film covered the once grey stones. A half circle of stairs led up to the front and at the base of these stairs stood two finely dressed men.
"Count Maris?" Aeris questioned
"That would be me," said the shorter of the two
He wore shimmering silver silk, a half foot length wand resting in his hand. His short auburn hair slicked back. He stood uneasily on the balls of his feet constantly shifting his weight.
"Aeris Argent, the new Champion of Denerae."
"Ah a pleasure, my apologies we did not meet last night I was a tad preoccupied."
"As I can see" Aeris said with a sly grin
Instead of reply the man looked over his shoulder at his future opponent.
"Is it Confrontium?" Aeris asked
"Indeed it is." The count said before swallowing hard
"Have you considered maybe a Parlay? Less permanent outcome."
The count locked eyes with Aeris, who remained neutral and nonplussed "what are you suggesting Champion?"
"That you consider changing the duel, you don't want to hurt this man. Even the rats in the Cathedral could see that."
"Would that I could, but Franklin was the one who issued the challenge."
"Give me just a minute."
Aeris made his way towards the challenger, Franklin it seemed, and was met with the same uneasy eyes as his future opponent.
"Did the count send you to inform me of his withdrawal?" Franklin said his voice calm
"On the contrary, I've come to negotiate a change in duel."
"Oh?"
"I suggest a parlay,"
Relief quickly flashed through Franklin's face. "He wants to parlay?"
"Indeed,"
"Is this a trick?"
"I do not know Count Maris well enough to answer that question but you have my word as the champion of this city that I will not allow any harm to befall either of you."
"Fair enough,"
"Do you agree?"
"I do."
"Excellent"
Aeris left Franklin, and informed Maris if the change. Soon the lord arrived and they were set to begin the duel.
"Count Maris, Franklin Leonis you have both agreed to duel Via Parlay, as challenger Master Leon's gets to choose the battle of wits you will both partake in."
"I choose Rune Chess." Franklin said after a brief pause
A moment later a table was set up and the two sat across from each other. Both with a stack of round flat disks of wood.
"You both know the rules, we will have four rounds, you can each only use one tile once, and must use two in one round. You may begin."
Franklin went first and he set his first tile down the rune sparked once and a glowing golden knight wielding a large sword materialized on the table. Slowly the Count set his tiles down sliding them apart so they both sat flat. Two silver rogues materialized over the tiles.
The knight rushed the two rogues the rogue on the left used a small crossbow to shoot the knight as he charged and the other rolled to the side as the knight's golden blade struck the crossbow rogue the other stabbed him in the back of the legs bringing out a crossbow of his own and shooting him in the back of the head the three figures faded and both men took their tiles setting them in the bags they came in.
The next round was the Count's turn to go first. He set a tile down and a silver knight holding a halberd materialized. Franklin paused considering his tiles. Aeris bit his tongue trying not to speak out of place to give advice. The obvious choice was to double down on pawns like Maris did but it wasn't the most effective.
Franklin impressed Aeris as he sat his tile down and a Quill Hawk made of golden light materialized. The bird was covered in fur-like quills and flew with remarkable speed. The knight swung wildly but missed each time as the hawk hit it three times with quill and beak. The last blow was the bird swooping in and driving its beak into the base of the Knights neck.
The count scowled and scooped up his tile, tossing it into the bag. Franklin looked smug as he slid his tile from the table quickly grabbing his tiles and looking over them. By Aeris's count Franklin had 2 rooks, a knight, 2 wizards, a wyvern, a king, 4 pawns, and 3 beasts left. Both men had 3 points currently.
Franklin slid two tiles down and two towers appeared both had arms and legs and wielded a tree trunk. Aeris smirked to himself, Franklin played the count remarkably by baiting him into using two tiles in the first turn. The count seemed to notice this as well as he scowled harder.
Count Maris slapped a tile onto the table with a loud crack. A silver wyvern materialized shortly after his hand left the tile. Aeris shook his head,
"He could have pulled this around before he played his wyvern." Lord Selaise whispered to Aeris
Aeris remained silent but nodded his agreement to the lord, the wyvern started the turn breathing ice across the battlefield, Franklin's rooks moved into formation one stepping back to avoid the hit and the other absorbing both hits itself as the ice faded both rooks rushed the wyvern. With a Savage swing the first rook slammed its club into the wyvern's face. It turned whipping the rook with it's tail in retaliation. Which left it open to the second rook, who slammed the tree trunk it held down onto the beasts back twice before it whirled around and snapped it's jaw down on the second rook. The first rook swung at the wyvern's tail as the wyvern threw the second rook back its tail slammed into the rooks chest and he vanished just as the second rook smashed the tree trunk into the beasts head. Both lights vanished and Franklin grabbed his tiles with a smirk.
Fury boiling inside the count he put down his king tile and a man sitting on a throne materialized out of silver light, again Aeris shook his head. A brief pause came and Franklin sat down a tile spawning a frail old man in golden robes and holding a staff.
The king rose from his throne wielding a sword and shield. The wizard blasted a bolt of golden lightning towards the king as he raised his shield. The bolt hit him in the chest sending him back into his throne. Without a second thought the wizard twirled his staff around sending two balls of golden flame at the king who took one but managed to block the other. The king swung his sword as he leapt from the throne, the sword sliced through another ball of flame. He rushed forward shield up and sword ready the shield met the wizard dead on causing him to stumble back and the king capitalized swinging his sword at the wizard. The blade slashed through the wizard who conjured a wall of flame between himself and the king. Leaping back the wizard sent another bolt of lightning through the wall at the king. The bolt hit him and another came right after it. The second bolt blasted the miniature king out of existence and the wizard faded triumphantly.
"Well there you have it, Franklin Leonis is today's victor. Good game gentlemen." The lord said standing from his plush seat.
Count Maris scowled as he handed the bag to the Paige who brought it to him he quickly drew his wand and swung it towards Franklin, who's back was turned as he helped the Paige with their clean up.
The swing never finished as Aeris leapt to action his hand quickly wrapping around the Count's wrist.
"Count Maris, I surely hope you weren't thinking of dishonoring the results of this duel after humbly requesting a change." Aeris said, his voice cold.
Franklin turned and saw the scene. He nodded at Aeris and took his leave feeling satisfied with his victory and grateful to Aeris for keeping his word. A moment of silence filled the square.
"Aeris, you may release the count now." Lord Selaise said before stepping up to the pair.
Aeris released his grip and stepped back bowing his head to the lord.
"Count Maris, I welcomed you to my court because you are the cousin of the King but you have dishonored me and yourself today. You and I will be having a conversation this afternoon." Lord Selaise said sternly