The day had turned into late evening and the sun was setting behind the treetops of Elandorr. After he'd patched up his friend, Helon decided to rest in his dorm before the next lesson and read the latest letter from his family. It was at times like these he was happy to have his own room. Soldiers of lower rank had to share but since he got knighted he could enjoy his own space. He leaned back in his bed and opened the envelope, the handwriting very familiar to him, it was his mother's.
"Dear son,
I hope this letter finds you well and that you're keeping up with your duties to the school. Colder days are approaching here in Rook and your father and I are doing our usual arrangements to make sure our army is well taken care of. Your brother Sharrar and his partner Rathuid have been very helpful in this matter, they both send their regards and hope there will be a time for you to come to their wedding next year. Amadar has started to see someone as well, but he'll hate me if I say anything about her, so I'll let him do that on his own when he feels it's right.
I accompanied your father on his visit to your great grandfather last week. He might not have many years left, Helon. You should write to him, I'm sure he'd appreciate that. Maybe he'll give you some good advice on how to improve your spear work. You told me you struggled with that in your last letter.
Lastly, I just want to tell you how happy I am to hear that you're looking into other forms of combat. There has not been a single Krisric known to fight from horseback, but I'm sure you'll do well, my son. You always do. We're all proud of you.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Love, Mother."
Helon folded the letter back in its place and smiled, "Amadar has finally found a woman. I can't believe it."
As he sat up and stretched he felt a weird feeling in his stomach. A sensation he always tried to get rid of whenever he felt it; Homesickness.
He became frustrated with himself, why did he miss it? Arathorn was more of a home than his real one. Being taken to the school at the age of sixteen, he never got to see his family again. As much as he appreciates that they write to him, it always felt strange to know someone but not really knowing them. He felt like out there his name and heritage was something to love and respect but here, within the borders of Arathorn, he only felt the pressure from his superiors and the jealousy of his fellow recruits. It was lonely at times.
Helon remembered his father's words as he left; "Being a soldier of Arathorn is the greatest honor a warrior can have." But was he meant to stay here for the rest of his life? He wanted to be a commander like his parents, not some stowaway knight, protecting a group of mages who prefers hiding in the shadows instead of being out in the world, truly helping.
A knock on the door broke him out of his thoughts.
"Helon, are you ready for some sparring?" Duncan asked from the other side.
He really wasn't. The feeling of homesickness had completely drained him, but he knew he would get punished if he didn't attend.
"Yes, yes. I'm coming." He groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"You okay there, friend?" The half-elf could clearly tell something was up when Helon met him in the corridor, avoiding his eyes.
"Just not in the mood to have my ass handed to me."
Duncan patted his shoulder, "Arathorn's youngest knight is afraid to fight? What realm is this, I must've been teleported."
Helon didn't respond. There they went again with their expectations.
His friend picked up on it, "Hey, if anyone is gonna get their ass kicked it's me. I'm not nearly as good as you."
This had Helon triggered, "You would be if you just stopped worrying about your feet so much. Stop thinking."
"Easy for you to say. I'm no Krisric."
"My family name has nothing to do with my skills."
"Sure." He said sarcastically, "It's not like your entire ancestors bred for this sort of thing."
"You have a fine way of putting things, Duncan."
His eyes caught a glance of someone he recognized from the other side of the yard as they headed to the sparring circle. It was Khalla, accompanied by Master Guprix and General Ismastis. It looked like they were heading to the upper levels. The tall birdman looked anxious and Helon didn't blame him. However, a part of him wished he was in his boots. How exciting it would be to go out on a mission. It was a thrill he longed for.
"That's probably the last we'll see of him." Duncan declared.
"He'll be fine." Helon was just about done with his friend's jokes, he was too tired for this.
They eventually came to the sparring area. It was separated into different fighting rings. Various weapons were held in barrels and on the wooden shelves all around. Small bridges were placed above ground so that spectators could stay and watch if they pleased. Great many had gathered around the ring where Helon and Duncan were supposed to meet up with the rest of their company. Most had arrived already.
"Well look at all of you scrawny excuses for soldiers. I see you've taken the time to slack off while I was away." They both recognized commanders Senjumon's voice. A mammoth-like man, standing thirteen feet tall, looked down at all of the recruits. He had long brown fur covering his humanoid body. On top of it was his big elephant-like head but with smaller ears than you'd expect. He had a long trunk and on each side of it, long and sharp tusks, decorated with leather garments. Engravings could be seen carved into the ivory, symbolizing his heritage.
He stomped around in the mud of the ring. Some recruits laughed nervously. Others, many of the young ones, didn't dare to utter a sound. Many of the Silver Knights, Helon included, loved to scare them with stories of the great Senjumon, the most fearsome of all ten commanders. Guess today they'd eat up their words.
Delize and Orgoth stood at the side and smiled mockingly, just like everyone else who'd joined in to watch. Most already knew what was going to happen this evening, a laughing Senjumon surrounded by muddy soldiers. Helon and Duncan almost dragged themselves to the back of the company.
"So, I hear tales of disobedience! A bad case of show-off! How disappointing." He grumbled and took a few steps backwards, inviting them into the muddy battle ring, no one moved. Senjumon chuckled, "Alright, let's see if you dung-splatters are all talk. Thain, you first!" He pointed at a young half-orc standing in the frost. The recruit took a tiny step forward. The commander gestured to the barrels and shelves behind him, "Pick your weapon and see if you can land a scratch on me, lad."
Everyone watched in silence as Thain picked out a long sword and took a stance towards the tusker. The half-orc took a deep breath, ready to let out a warcry, but before he could do so, Senjumon swung his trunk and hurled the poor man straight into the wall. Everyone was stunned, how could any creature that large move so fast.
"Very important lesson." The commander turned to the gaping group, "Never reveal to your opponent when you're going to make an attack, especially not if they're stronger than you."
And so the lesson proceeded. One after the other, they got beaten to a pulp as Senjumon gave them harsh advice on how to improve. Helon listened intently and analyzed every move Senjumon pulled on the soldiers. He was difficult to read and even more so to avoid.
"How is this practice?" Duncan whispered in his ear.
Helon answered without taking his eyes off the commander, "Watch the trunk. You gotta avoid five limbs, not four."
"Ah, that makes things a lot easier." He scoffed.
"Why don't you show us, Krisric? Another voice came in whispering, it was Erolith, "You always seem to know what's best."
The annoyance grew inside of Helon immediately and he turned to the high-elf, "To put it in a way for you to understand I'd have to go fight the ten year olds."
The look on Erolith's face sparked some joy to both of the friends. Unable to accept defeat, the high-elf did a bold move and pushed Helon through the crowd of people and into the ring. The dark-elf froze in place, staring down at the ground as everything went deathly silent. He heard the heavy footsteps of Senjumon as he turned to look at him, the mud splattering all over.
"Well, well, Krisric." His voice rumbled, "My favorite little instigator. Come to show me how it's done?"
Helon looked up at the commander, returning the joke, "You know that's what I do."
Senjumon tossed the recruit he'd been sparring with back to the crowd and laughed, "Alright then. Pick your weapon and we'll see if you bite as well as you bark."
He sighed. This was not going to be fun. He'd only ever had the opportunity to spar with the commander once when he was in his early twenties. Both Senjumon and himself had evolved a lot since then.
He removed his shirt and walked up to the table of weapons. His eyes flicked back and forth between the various weapons and the giant mammoth-man. Which weapon was the best choice? Many of his fellow soldiers had gone with the long sword, a safe option, but the commander was both larger and stronger than him. A spear perhaps? It would give him some range to avoid the trunk, but Senjumon could just as easily grab hold of it. No, this fight would require some creativity.
He noticed the double-headed meteor hammer, a chain weapon with two heavy spheres attached to each end. His hands grasped the chains, getting used to weight. A smile spread across his face. This could work. It was a difficult weapon to master, but in the right hands it could be the most effective one, especially against an opponent like Senjumon. This would give Helon the range he needed and it would set his commander at a disadvantage since he had to keep track of not just the elf but the spheres too.
Helon was grateful at this moment for his lessons with Basselt, one of the other commanders. He'd been to one to convince the dark-elf at an early age the importance of knowing how to wield various weapons.
He took hold of the chain and began to spin it around himself, navigating the spheres with the flick of his wrists. As he stepped into the ring he inspected to look on Senjumon's face. Was he scared or perhaps impressed by his choice? He got none of the answers he sought, the commander merely chuckled and got into his fighting position. Helon felt a lump grow inside his stomach, which he quickly tried to fight off. Now was not the time to be nervous. 'Focus!' He reminded himself.
The two stared at one another. No one moved for what felt like an hour. Helon tried to keep his head cool. It was in his best interest to let Senjumon attack first and the commander knew that. It was all about who had the greatest patience.
Helon felt his arms grow tired from swinging the weights but he tried to not reveal it in his face. In his weariness he forgot himself and took a glance at the crow around him. Senjumon saw his opening and charged. The elf almost tripped as he jumped out of the way of the mammoth's fist slamming into the ground. He quickly gathered his senses and swung the chain around his body, getting the moment to toss one of the weights at the commander. Senjumon dodged it and was about to follow through with another charge before realizing the other sphere coming at his face. He disengaged, much to Helon's amusement. For several minutes he was able to keep a ten feet distance between them, using this technique. Senjumon was constantly looking for an opening while he continually dodged the elf's attacks. The others watched in amazement as Helon expertly handled the meteor hammer. He felt their eyes on him and couldn't help but feel a boost of confidence.
Senjumon growled and charged once more and Helon prepared to counter. As the sphere from his meteor flew out from him, the commander did what he feared he might do. His trunk grabbed it and with a single pull sent the elf flying from off his feet towards him. He landed in the mud on his belly right in front of his opponent but was able to crawl between his legs before he stomped him into pieces. As he stood up he swung the other end towards the commander. Senjumon blocked it with his arm but got the painful reminder of why the meteor hammer is so effective. The heavy sphere simply swirled around his forearm and slapped the muscle right above the elbow. The commander grunted in pain and let go of the chain with his trunk. Helon wasted no time. He flipped it around Senjumons leg and proceeded to climb onto his back, tossing the other end around his neck. Standing now with one arm and one leg restricted, the commander struggled to move and get the elf off him. Helon pulled as hard as he could to make the mammoth fall and eventually got him down to one knee. Senjumon bellowed in frustration and tried to grab the elf with his trunk but he was just out of reach.
People had started to cheer and yell. Most of them rooted for the commander but a handful encouraged Helon onward. He smirked and leaned into Senjumon's ear, "Come on now, commander. Can't let our audience down."
"You're too focused on what others perceive of you, Krisric. A soldier only has one thing in mind." He took a deep breath and with a single stretch, snapped the chains into a million pieces. Before Helon could react, the commander grabbed him with his trunk and slammed him into the mud, knocking out the air from his lungs. He leaned in closer, "Survival. Both for you and the ones you protect. Other's opinions on how you go about it are irrelevant. Ask your father. You're a knight, not a performer."
He let go and turned to look at the recruits, rubbing his arm where the meteor hammer had hit him. Helon was lying defeated in the mud, staring up at the sky.
"I'll give it to you though, boy." Senjumon chuckled, "You managed to hit me."
The elf grunted, "Thank you, commander." As he rolled onto all four, letting the cold evening air return into his body. Commander Delize came up to him and helped back up, "You okay, Krisric?"
He scoffed, "Splendid." A strike of pain shot through his abdomen, "Think I might've broken a rib or two."
"I'm surprised not more of you are broken considering that hit you took. Let's get you to the healers."
She led him through the crowd and they all made way for them. Duncan approached, "I'm coming with you."
"Stay." Helon insisted, patting his shoulder, "You also need to get your ass kicked."
Duncan laughed, relieved to see that his friend's sense of humor was still intact, at least.
"Great fight, Helon! Very entertaining!" Erolith could be heard yelling mockingly.
"Daro! You're next! The ring! NOW!" Senjumon ordered.
As sad as he was to not get to witness Erolith get beaten to a pulp, the knowledge gave Helon enough satisfaction.
They walked to a building closer to the center of Arathorn. A marble building merged with the roots of the mother tree. The nurses were dressed in simple white robes, easy to distinguish.
"You know where to go." Delize gestured him forward, "Rest now and I'll expect to see you tomorrow for training."
"Yes, commander."
She patted his back before she left him, "You did well."
His face winced in pain and simply nodded in thanks. He walked up to a familiar face, an elderly wood elf. She had long, straight brown hair that hung across her shoulders all the way to her hip.
"Hello, Ms Cleo."
As she turned to look at him she let out a sigh, "Helon Krisric, why am I not surprised?" Her hands rested on her hips as she inspected him up and down, "Whose responsible this time?"
"Commander Senjumon."
"Oh, he's back from the field then?" She smiled, "Better have more beds prepared then. He's not known for his gentle touch."
"I've experienced that first hand."
Almost as if she just then realized how hurt he was, she shook her head and rushed up to one of the beds and prepared it for him, "I'm sorry. Rest here and one of the healing spirits will take care of you soon. You know the drill."
He carefully sat down his aching body onto the soft mattress, "Is Lady Matilda in today?" He asked.
Cleo fluffed his pillow, "Not today. She's been quite busy with daycare recently."
"So you're in charge now, huh?"
"It would seem so."
Helon crooked his head, "You seem a bit… stressed." He implied.
"I've had some visits from the upper levels and I'm trying to take every chance I can get to get their help. The infirmary has been overlooked for quite some time now."
"Well, don't let me keep you."
She smiled, grateful for his understanding, "You call if there's anything you need."
He nodded and leaned back. The infirmary was a quiet and peaceful place, unlike the rest of the lower grounds. Branches filled with green leaves hung from the ceiling and water could be heard running through the canals behind the walls. Helon allowed himself to close his eyes for a bit, relaxing his entire body while taking in the atmosphere.
It didn't take long before he felt something jump into the bed. He opened an eye and a translucent blue spirit in the shape of a rabbit was looking at him, clucking contently.
Somehow, Helon always found this amusing, "Hello, little guy. I'm glad you came by so quickly."
The spirit's ear flicked in his direction and slowly hopped closer. He patted his chest, "Do your thing."
The rabbit was as light as a feather, causing no discomfort to him. It sniffed its way to the source of the pain on his left side and began to clean its tiny paws. Tiny lights flickered inside of it and Helon could feel the pain slowly wash away. It made it a lot easier to relax this time and he was able to pick up more things around him now.
"Of course, Cleo. I'll make sure to send more holy water to your storage right away."
"Thank you, Master."
He glanced over at the people speaking, Cleo was talking to Guprix. Helon was a bit surprised to see him there but then again, the majority of the healers came from the mage court of the upper levels, perhaps Guprix was in charge of this place as well?
The old elf noticed Helon looking at them and met his gaze. The dark-elf didn't look away.
Guprix said something more to Cleo but more quiet this time. She turned to Helon and answered him so that the elf couldn't hear. Then she walked away further into the room while the Master approached Helon's bedside.
"Looks like quite the beating you took out there."
"Master Lombard." Helon made an effort to sit up but Guprix held up his hand, "No need for that, lad. You need rest. I simply wanted to commend your skills on the battlefield earlier today. Very impressive."
Helon was hesitant, "You're too kind, Master. I have the teachings of Arathorn to thank for that."
Guprix wasn't sure if this was merely a display or if his gratitude was truthful, "Not all of it, I imagine? I hear all from the Krisric bloodline have proven their skills in battle, most of them victorious."
The dark-elf shrugged, was that supposed to be a compliment?
"So I've heard. We have a long history."
"Set off by Honemdinyon Krisric when he married in 1011. Master Ibarin has told me a lot about him."
"How come you're so interested in my family history?"
Guprix looked at him with a serious expression, "I make it my business to know most of what I can about everything, young Krisric. It also happens that I knew your father when he was a student here."
"You knew my dad?"
"Hecrosi Krisric, a fine soldier and an even better leader from what I hear it."
"Then you know him better than I do. I haven't seen him since I was sixteen."
The older elf chuckled, "Yes, they do take their sweet time with elves like us here. Do not fret, young man."
"I just wish I'd get to see new things. It's all the same down here."
"You're a silver knight, are you not? I'm sure you'll be sent out soon."
"Not soon enough."
"Would you like some help?" Guprix whispered.
Helon looked at him in disbelief, "How?"
"I have contacts. And you're clearly skilled enough to move up in the ranks."
"Ahem." The voice of someone clearing their throat came out from around the corner. General Ismastis peeked in with a stern look on her face. No doubt she'd heard the entire conversation. Helon sank back down into his bed. It wasn't like him to ask for favors and look for the easy way out.
"I'm glad to see you're doing better." She gestured to the rabbit resting on his chest. Helon petted it, "Thank you, General."
She turned to Guprix, "A word, Lombard." They both went outside. The young dark-elf looked at his little companion, "I want to do good, but it's frustrating when you never get to prove it, you know?"
The rabbit tilted its head in confusion. Helon smirked, "Great, now I'm talking to a healing spirit. You sure are lonely, Krisric."
"Just what do you think you're doing, trying to undermine me?" Ismastis growled.
Guprix took a deep breath, trying to not be intimidated by the centaur, "The boy is better than anyone in his current rank, General."
"Have you trained him? Do you know how his mind works? It takes more than just fighting to be a good soldier."
"He isn't challenged in his current position."
"Senjumon would think differently."
"Compared to the other recruits of the same rank he is far superior."
"I disagree. Raising the bar doesn't always lead to better results."
"He thinks you're holding him back."
"What do you suggest then?"
"Let him patrol the upper levels. Guard the perimeter. Escort students. Just something other than keeping him here."
Ismastis remained silent for a minute. She knew where Guprix was coming from and she didn't deny that the Krisric boy had talent but something within made her hesitate to let go.
"You've always been eager to see progress, Lombard. I see it every time you teach your students… and the Lathalas girl, but that is not how I do things. Helon will stay here."
"He'll be disappointed."
"That is my burden to worry about, not yours."
Guprix sighed, there was no convincing the General. He bowed and took his leave, he'd spent enough time down here as it was.
Ismastis went back to Helon's bed. He dared to look at her with excitement. Her eyes lowered and the smile on his lips faded, "I have let you down General. I'm sorry."
"You have done nothing of the sort, Krisric. Master Lombard has a tendency to get carried away at times."
"I shouldn't think so selfishly. I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for you and the commanders. It's just… There's so much I want to do."
Ismastis grabbed his arm, "Listen to me, Helon. You have a gift, I don't deny you that fact. Something I haven't seen in a long time. That's why you have to be careful with how you use it. So many ambitious warriors have fallen too early for their time because they think they need to push themselves further. A true knight doesn't seek battle but is steadfast in its presence and protects those who can't."
"So send me out!" He pleaded, "Let me protect Arathorn in the way you've trained me to do for so many years."
She looked away, "You should be thankful that no such action is required, there is peace."
"Please, General. There has to be something I can do to aid this army."
A sigh escaped her lips. Helon's eyes pleaded. The boy was too skilled for his own good and was already paying the consequences from both his students and instructors, moving him up wouldn't stop that. However, a part of her wanted to see how well he was going to do.
"Once a week."
"What?"
"I'll allow you to report to Master Therion and Master Aaliyah once a week. They'll be sending you on further missions."
"Thank you!"
"But you'll still be training like normal down here, you hear me?"
"Of course, General."
"A single misstep and you're out. You'll come to see that things work quite differently up there."
"I won't let you down."
"I shall hope not." She turned away, "Now get some rest. You'll start first thing in the morning."