The Sylph, Oro, flies up - Kora, the Dryad, dives down. I wonder what the hell are they even doing here.
I grab both of my blades. Suddenly, the Dryad dives out the ground and grabs my legs, trying to knock me down - but I'm ready, I parry her with my blade. At the same time my other hand lifts into the air to block the upcoming attack from the above, that damned Sylph being a fast flier. Sylphs usually are.
If you ask me, one of the most annoying species there are.
…I mean, if you ask me, all of them are annoying.
Our blades clash and I manage to fight them both off. However, the sun blinds me for a second - and Oro uses that to attack me from the side, as Kora grabs my feet once again. I topple down but not before launching my blade at that damned sky-bird. It misses.
"You missed!" He laughs as he dodges.
"Oh did I?"
I tug the thin, almost invisible string that ties the blade to my hand - it immediately returns, wrapping around Oro's wings in process. He shrieks and tries to struggle free.
"What is-?!"
A magician never reveals his tricks.
In fact, it's enchanted spider web. It's unbreakable. A little thing I stole from the Dryads on my travel through the Shum forest.
Kora flinches - it seems I've shaken her up. Her hold on me relents and I use the chance to kick her with my foot. Oro starts falling down in a spiral - and I yank my string, sending him to the side. He rotates. He's trying to free himself but my blade's weight keeps the string securely locked around him.
The Dryad yelps as I kick her. Oro lands on the tree and manages to free himself; throwing the blade back at me. With a swift movement of my wrist, I wrap it around the branch he stands on. Kora seems to have regained composure. She utters a few words and rises her hands.
Vines start wrapping around my legs. Damned Dryads and their magic. Gods gave them this crap in exchange for their wings.
In the last moment I pull myself up by the string - and immediately I start falling as Oro cuts the branch with his sword and flies up, breathing hard.
Nevermind, I cannot fly, but I can get by just fine. I throw my second blade and wrap it around another branch and use it as a vine to propel myself around the tree stump and jump on one of the other branches. Kora freezes.
She hasn't noticed that my other blade is aiming at her with the branch in the tow, ready to cut her lovely face.
"!!!" Oro tries to change his direction, to fly towards her and save her.
Foolish. Protecting others doesn't get you far in this line of work. I laugh at his naivety and while he is turned to me with his back, dislodge the blade from where it's stuck and throw it right at him, it heading straight for his neck…
CLASH, the blade is thrown away mid-air. I catch both of the blades as they return to my hands. I look at the culprit. Aspen is fluttering between me and his two students.
What a fast flier. I almost whistle, impressed, but instead I jump off the tree and land softly on the ground.
A cute nickname they once gave me was 'The Cat Burglar'. I liked that one.
"Are you okay?" Oro helps Kora get up. She nods, but looks shaken. I roll my eyes. She really should grow thicker skin.
Nobody asks me if I'm okay.
Aspen makes sure they're alright and then approaches me.
"Not bad, not bad…" he sings. "Oro, do you know what mistake you've made?"
"He went to save his friend," I reply instead. "If you hadn't been here, he'd be dead."
"But I was, wasn't I?" Aspen smiles.
"The mistake is turning back on your enemy," Aspen continues as he walks over to the two fae. "Because this way you put both of you in danger. Both of her blades were heading your way."
I cross my arms. Why am I not being sung praises? I was the one who bested them both!
I feel like a petulant child as I take my seat on a tree stump.
"Now, Nyx, not bad. Though someone should take you down a peg." Aspen finally approaches me with a laugh.
"Oh, want a go?" I immediately stand up.
He points his spear at me.
I grab my blades.
"Maybe another time," at last he laughs and flies up, "everyone, training is done for today!"
***
I drag my feet to the common lunching room. This was annoying in so many ways. Besides, why do I have to train? I've already shown more prowess than anyone there.
Whatever. I don't care about being popular. It's not high on my list of priorities. I load up my plate and then grab a few more to add food on them. The maid handing out the stew frowns at me as I stuff my mouth with bread.
"What! I'm going to eat it all!" I grab another loaf and sit down with all my treasure. And get to eating.
"You think you are sooo tough," a voice comes to my left side.
I give its owner an unimpressed look.
She's a Salamander. I can recognize it by her fire-like red hair. Her wings are safely tucked away. They are made of pure, burning fire - and it's a safety hazard to have them out in the open.
She is tall. One of those ones who love to look down upon us, pixies.
"Yeah. What's it to you?" I stuff my face. Nobody told me that annoying coworkers were a part of the job, otherwise I wouldn't even bother accepting it. I'd rather die of fossilized bones. "This is a Leptirae court. What are you even doing here? Or your friends?" I point at Oro and Kora chatting and talking about something sooo funny.
"My master sent me here to train," the fae says and sits down.
"Don't remember inviting you."
"Oh, it's not like this room belongs to you. The name is Vatra." She grabs a loaf of bread off my plate.
I growl and grab it back. "Your master?"
"Prince Plamen," she says and tugs the loaf back. "There is trouble brewing. He wants me to improve my flight techniques."
Ah yes. Salamanders, living in the desert, usually kept to the ground. Their wings were made of fire, and while their skin was pretty sun resistant, it was exhausting to fly around the desert. Not much room to practice. Especially with sandstorms. They were better with swords and other types of weapons.
"What trouble?" I ask. I haven't heard anything.
"I've heard that Kobolds are planning a rebellion."
"Oh are they now? Good luck to them. I don't care." Geopolitics are not my strong suit nor do they interest me.
She shrugs. "There might be trouble everywhere soon, especially for the royalty and the ones… employed by them."
"What's it to me? I'm just a sellsword."
"Well, you are on the court. They'll consider you a class traitor. Or do you just plan to let them take the royal family?"
There is a glint in her eye and I can see she is setting up a trap.
I snort. "No, I don't actually. I am a staunch monarchist." In fact I don't give a shit. If the people want to knock them down, sure, whatever. I'm more worried about royal fundings for alchemists and wizards than I am for their heads. I need those damn scholars.
"Well, just figured I'd let you know." Vatra gets up and looks at me. She knows that I want something.
She can know all she wants, I don't care.
"Why aren't you with the Sylphs? They are adept fliers, much better than Leptirae," I say.
"The court is not… in the best state right now. That's what my master told me. Besides, that's why Oro is here." She points her finger at him. He doesn't notice.
"The best state?"
She doesn't say anything, just winks at me.
"What do you mean? Nobody knows what's going on in the Court of Swords and Winds." I grab her wrist.
"It's just speculations. I'd start preparing a money stash if I was you," she says and flies away.
I frown as I stare at her back.