Chapter 16
Another night at her door passes. Not with silence but with conflict. Cloaked assassins came in the dead of night. Feet silently touching the grounds of Princess Isabella's territory. Zarracen met them however with the first hint on them upon the wind. She defeated them easily. Careful not kill them but the head exploding persisted.
No information was gained.
So, when morning came Zarracen could do nothing but report her failure. Yet, Princess Isabella is calm in the face that more assassins has been sent for her. She does nothing at all but advise Zarracen to wake her next time.
The knight finds fault with that. Her job is to protect her. There was no need to wake her unless the assassins were too close to do it efficiently. When the knight tries to argue this point those starry eyes stare her down with an expression of faint displeasure that made her entire body lock up.
The argument is thrown aside and she concedes to her.
Now, Zarracen is standing in at the front of the training grounds with the four who she spoke with yesterday. The others did not arrive. She's not surprised at that but if they cannot get over her abrasive attitude then they wouldn't get along well enough to follow her orders.
"Welcome, grab you weapon of preference and attack me." Zarracen points towards the numerous weapons stacked near the wall. They were all training weapons in surprisingly good shape.
Cauld without question grabs a training spear. Essentially a metal pole with a knub tip not meant for piercing but the off weight of it to symbolize the actual nature of a spear. Seazuna doesn't grab any weapons and just stands there. Zarracen stares at him as Blakely grabs two blunt short swords.
"No weapon Seazuna?"
"I fight with my fist." Seazuna informs her. Zarracen blinks slowly.
That's rare. Most people used a weapon of some sort. Fist arts were not utilized at all from what she's seen from not only knights but other fighters. Even when she was younger in the several fighting tournaments, she was mocked for being too broken to afford a weapon despite her hands and feet being them.
A bit of respect fills Zarracen for Seazuna. The fox was likely mocked as she was by most others within Ixmtaraza for the lack of a weapon. Perhaps, it was a Fox Brutee clan practice to fight without a weapon but either way the respect for him is there.
"I see." Zarracen looks at Avery. "Are you not getting a weapon."
"No, Txiumuria guides my safety in all manner of ways. A blade is useless in the eyes of the divine."
"Oookay." Zarracen sighs.
Fanatics like her are trouble but they can be pointed at someone with just a word and will do their duties without question which is useful.
"Who is first Galt Ahktan?" Cauld asks.
Zarracen looks at him confusion. "First? Attack me at once."
"But-" Cauld opens his mouth to argue but both Blakely and Seazuna with astonishing speed was already at Zarracen not giving her time to even draw her own practice weapon.
The whistle of two downward slashes from Blakely forces Zarracen to dodge towards Seazuna who was prepared with a Videle infused punch. Zarracen blinks in surprise before grinning widly catching the punch and rotating her hips and sending the fox flying through the air.
Multi-colored shots of videle pierce the flying Seazuna and Blakely. Their bodies glowing. Enhancements? She glances towards Avery whose entire demeanor has changed. Eyes sharp and mouth set in serious line instead of the starry-eyed worshipping one she had prior. Cauld looks at the three in confusion the only one not ready.
Zarracen runs at him but to Blakely who went to strike her it looks like she teleported away. By the time Cauld notices her approaching she's already within arm's reach of him. She draws her weapon and slices it across. His arms move to block but he's too slow.
Her blade is met with a will of purple energy. Avery. She's good. Zarracen notes that she's distanced herself further from them. Put herself in a strategic position not too far but not too close. Her spells were able to reach her comrades within seconds, protecting and shielding them, allowing them to fight freely.
And her enhancements...Zarracen glances at Blakely and Seazuna who went back on the attack. In this split second of her admiring spellwork have already come across the training grounds to her position. Speed is one.
That was given to Blakely. Seazuna was already fast. He started from behind Blakely initial caught up and positioned themselves for a collaboration attack. Now he's keeping up with an increased speed. Brutees were known for their physical abilities so it's not a surprise.
Zarracen easily outpaces the two of them without such enhancements. She dodges and parries their blows. Seazuna's felt heavy than the first strike. A strength buff then.
A spear tip comes closer to her left. She leaps over it the blow clearing all of their heads before spin kicking them back. As she lands a jolt of magic is coming her way. Zarracen uses her videle to push off the air to dodge. Landing a few meters to the left. But the magic turns and follows her slamming into her back.
Homing?
She stands feeling a sense of vertigo. The magic didn't hurt. Did she make her dizzy. She lifts up her weapon. Not just that she's slower, her body feels heavy. If she doesn't accept any of them, she's going to accept Avery just for that little trick.
Zarracen runs her Videle through her body as the others attack her slower form in attempt to clear out the effects of the foreign energy. It takes a few moments but before long she has all three laid at her feet before she darts to Avery.
The woman erects a barrier that she could not just power through. She raises her videle and coats the practice weapon with it before striking. The barrier shatters and Zarracen places her blade at Avery's neck.
The woman smiles.
"I Yield."
Zarracen looks at the others who were now standing slowly breathing heavily. They yield as well.
"Preface this acceptance by saying your lives are not more important than Princess Isabella. You cannot yield to anyone, not even me. Before harm should come to her you should be dead or near dead. This position is of sacrifice if you don't think you can do it then walk out the gate now. I will not fault you for it."
In truth Zarracen did not want to do it. They had a choice in this, but she was given an order wrapped in a gift. The four people nod their heads in agreement.
"Good. Avery you will be my commander. It seems you lead them well. You have a good strategic mind and combat prowess. However, you need to work on your physical abilities."
"Seazuna you are quick to follow orders and be there to assist your team in blocking or distracting the enemy. Blakely your bladework is phenomenal and kept on me on my toes. Cauld you need to be quicker in following orders and keeping up with team movements."
They accept her judgements quietly. She's just glad Seazuna isn't a bust like she thought he'd be. He and her will likely pair well in a battle. But, she'll keep him with Blakely. The two of them seem to work well together. Cauld was bit of a third wheel in battle. She has to stage more training sessions with the four of them for pure combat. Being a spear user with closer fighters might be the problem though.
In guard rotations she'll be better off pairing him with Avery until we can set up a nice rotation with more guards. Zarracen smirks before attacking Cauld. The man's spear was ready to deflect and the others, though surprised, reacted quickly as well.
Mercenaries all have good alertness she didn't really have to test them on that, but she had to make sure.
Assassins won't be so forward though. Right now, Zarracen is a knight so she can't test them with that.
"Good reactions. Give me ten laps around the training grounds."
They all take off without question.
Seazuna finishes first after lapping Avery a couple of times. Blakely second. Cauld third and Avery unsurprisingly last. The woman wasn't panting. She just wasn't as physically natured as the other, but it seems she is above average in physical abilities. Of course, she needs to be more well-rounded but it seems...what's she doing here?
Zarracen turns to see Princess Isabella followed by Fiella. The woman looks like she has just come from some type of party or meeting. The knight greets her with a bow.
"Your highness," Zarracen greets her.
"I see your hard at work Galt Zarracen," Princess Isabella addresses her. Zarracen straightens up and turns to see her guards have done the same.
Avery was still in a curtsy. Seazuna was in a sloppy bow. Blakely was in a proper low bow while Cauld seemed to be in between a proper and improper angle. Though it seems he looks at Blakely and angles himself lower.
"My it seems you chose quite a respectable bunch," Princess Isabella admires. Avery looks like she would burst with the praise.
"It appears so Princess."
"Blade."
Zarracen hears the command and hands over her weapon. Isabella twirls it in her hands with ease and approaches them.
"Kneel," she orders.
All four hit the ground. It wasn't anything grand or inspiring the way she knights them. But she does so surprising Zarracen. When done the four of them looks at each other in shock. Cauld looked about ready to cry. I guess he's one of the ones that failed a knight test.
"Your quarters within the building are already set up. Fiella my aide will take you to them. I expect great things from you all."
The newly knighted royal guardsmen place their training equipment away before following Fiella leaving Zarracen with Isabella.
"I didn't expect to see you Isabella," Zarracen admits. The princess looks towards her with a smile.
"Not stuttering over princess today I see." Zarracen shrugs.
"Just doin as you asked. So how were they? You wouldn't have approached unless you'd been watching."
"I wasn't watching for long. I had come to get you because I'm on my way to a tea party. And it's about time my guard commander escorts me don't you think?"
"Of course, let me change."
"No. Come as you are. I'm already running late."
Zarracen blinks looking down at herself. There was a bit of blood on her shirt. Her pants were scuffed and boots dirty. The princess wanted her to come like this. Zarracen thought she wanted to make sure she was respected. It didn't seem like it if that's her decision.
Princess Isabella walks off. She cast her eyes back to Zarracen. Those eyes ordering her to follow. Without a word she does.