[Day 3: Last Day]
Morning light filtered in through the window and gave the room a gentle glow. I blinked.
I was groggy yet from sleep, then it hit me, Lynsithea lay beside me, her face at peace, her breathing even. Her long hair cascaded over her face gently, and she looked so serene that for a moment, I just watched her.
I wasn't used to waking up with someone by my side. It was, different, comforting in a way I hadn't expected. There was a kind of warmth spreading through me, something I hadn't felt for such a long time. I barely moved, not wanting to disturb her.
I looked up at the ceiling, and yesterday started pouring into my head. The nightmare was still alive in the back of my mind, but here and now, things didn't feel quite so muddled. It was as though I had an anchor, something-no, someone keeping me moored.
I looked at Lynsithea and the way she was sleeping so serenely, it almost made me forget what had happened, battles, chaos, and fear. Yet at the same time, it reminded me just how much I wanted to protect her, how much I didn't want to lose this feeling.
I carefully shifted a little, careful not to wake her. I was caught up at once in the musings of how she must feel about all of this, the questions I had asked the night before-family, parents. did she know it meant so much to me?
Where we were headed or what any of this really meant, I had no idea, but there was one thing for sure, now I wasn't alone. Not with her beside me.
"Lynsithea, I—"
Before I could complete it, the door groaned and Sasha burst in without so much as a knock, her eyes scanning the room.
"Lynsithea, have—" The words stuck in her throat as she gazed at us. Her eyebrows shot upward in surprise.
I sat up swiftly as my face shuddered with a heat flush. Lynsithea stirred, her eyes fluttering open in confusion from the sudden motion.
Sasha smirked, leaning against the doorframe while crossing her arms. "Well, well… looks like I found more than just Lynsithea," she bantered, her voice full of sly innuendos.
Lynsithea sat up, her face red, as she tried to fix her rumpled hair, after several blinks to clear her sleep-addled brain. "Sasha!" she exclaimed, flustered.
Sasha burst out laughing. "Relax, I'm just here to check whether you're coming down for breakfast. Didn't expect this little scene, though." She gave me a sly grin, enjoying fully the awkwardness of the situation.
I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to find my voice. "Uh… yeah, we'll be down soon."
Sasha raised an eyebrow. "You better hurry before Parveen eats everything." She turned to leave but threw one last glance over her shoulder.
"And maybe next time, lock the door." With that, she winked and disappeared down the hall.
Lynsithea and I looked at each other and burst into laughter as that tension of just that moment before melted away.
Today marks my last day of training.
Sitting down now and reflecting on all that has happened, I feel drained yet proud. The journey has been fierce, but the things that I've learned are many.
Sasha's training was grueling; it pushed me beyond the limit, reaching lengths I never thought possible. She also put me through grueling cold endurance trials, made me fight in freezing weather conditions, and taught me how to master my precision and control when my body was screaming to give in.
I remember scaling that icy mountain, each step a fight with the biting cold, but somehow, I endured. By the time she was done training me, I was using a lance with surety I'd never had before; my body could go with even the harshest climate. Sasha's methods were brutal, but the gift at the end-a token of her respect-showed me that I'd gained more than skill. I had won her recognition.
Parveen's training was no less intense but in a totally different way. He threw me into a sweltering desert heat, where I had to fight and tame the denizens of the sands, including a huge centipede. It was then, when Parveen himself entered into a fray riding his armored centipede, that the serious action started, where he tossed me a burning claymore.
Riding those beasts and wielding that scorching weapon, I had to face him head-on. His training kicked me right up to the brink of exhaustion and over, and that demanded quick adaptation. The final clash-which, with my Nova Watch, seemed to open fire for some technique-far as to how I survived it.
Now, finally preparing for this last test, I know just how much farther I have traveled.
Sasha and Parveen both sculpted me into a shade more than what I was before.
Today, whatever comes forth, I will face, knowing that I have made it through the coldest of winters and the hottest of deserts. Whatever this last day brings with it, I am ready for it.
Parveen grinned at me, saying, "Alright, Zane. For your final training, we're going to ride to Alektos' homeland. We all are. And we're going to ride the centipede there."
I was dumbstruck, catching Lynsithea and Sasha having a side glance with one another. "Alektos' homeland?" I repeated, my head was still reeling from the image of riding this creature of a centipede across some foreign land as my final test.
"Aye," Parveen said, clambering onto his armored centipede. "Alektos is a stormlord. His training will push you to levels of endurance and mental hardness you have never experienced, nor thought possible."
Lynsithea smiled softly beside me. "You've come this far, Zane. You're ready."
Sasha, always the witster, grinned. "If you thought our training was hard, wait until you meet Alektos."
I might have faltered for a moment, but then I finally took a deep breath and nodded. What was to be, was to be, and I would face it head-on. Having given one last look at Lynsithea, I climbed on to the centipede with the others.
As we prepared to depart, the giant stirred beneath us, lumbering along with impossible grace for such a monster. I couldn't help but have a load of nervousness mixed with excitement as we began our travel. Alektos' homeland was still to be met with another trial-one more challenge to defeat.
Sasha and Parveen went first, mounted on one centipede; Lynsithea and I jumped on the other. They set off at a fast pace, their many legs sliding with ease through the hot desert sand.
Before us lay the westward journey, the sun already low in the horizon. I turned a sideward glance at Lynsithea standing beside me, hair partly blowing in the wind. Her composed expression made me whole as the surrounding desert seemed endless on all sides.
"Appears it is just us," I said, lightening the mood.
Lynsithea smiled softly, her eyes bright with the dying sun. "I guess it is. Don't worry, you'll get through this last training, Zane. You've already come so far."
I nodded, the evening coolness of the desert breeze soothing my skin from the heat. "I hope so. But Alektos, storms, right? Sounds like he's going to push me hard."
Lynsithea chuckled light. "Harder than anything you've faced, but I believe in you."
I craned my head back to the desert, those mountains in the distance hazy silhouettes in the fast-disappearing light. In some odd way, it was reassuring-smooth-the movement of the centipede as it continued to take us deeper into the unknown, the horizon drawing us closer toward my last test.
---
As the wind whipped around them off the desert, Sasha sat wordlessly upon the centipede, her eyes forward, though her mind was elsewhere. Parveen found this peculiar and gave a smug smile.
"What's eating you, Sasha?" Parveen asked with nonchalance as she guided the centipede through the dunes.
Sasha remained quiet for a moment, then breathed, "I saw something, this morning, with Zane and Lynsithea. They seemed, close."
Parveen raised an eyebrow and turned to her. "Are you jealous?"
Sasha shot him a glare, defensive. "Jealous? Please, it's not like that." She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed at the suggestion.
Parveen laughed. "Really? You're so worked up about it, though."
"It's not jealousy, it's just." Sasha struggled to find the words. "It's surprising, that's all. We've all been through so much, and now. things are changing. Fast."
Parveen shrugged and a knowing smile still tugged at his face. "Maybe it's a good thing. Change is a part of the journey."
Sasha huffed, turning her gaze out to the horizon again. "I just hope they both know what they're doing."
Parveen's face gentled as he turned back to Sasha. "We're all just figuring it out as we go, Sasha. You know that better than anyone."
They were silent for several long moments, riding over endless dunes of gold stretching around them, before Sasha finally spoke again-quieter this time.
"Parveen," Sasha said now, much softer and more contemplative, "do you think one of the reasons Lynsithea's changed so much is because she met Zane?"
Parveen looked at her and considered the question. "It's possible. Zane's different from anyone she's ever met. He comes from a world without magic, without the same rules we live by."
He paused, remembering all that they'd been through together. "People change when they meet someone who challenges their view of the world. Maybe Zane did that for her."
Sasha nodded, lost in thought. "I've never seen her this way. She was so focused, so distant. Now. she's open, more in tune with her surroundings."
Parveen smiled wryly. "Perhaps it is not such a bad thing. Zane has been through his share of hard times. They may be helping each other a great deal more than either one of them perceives."
Sasha exhaled softly, catching herself as she started to lean back just a little. "I just hope she's not losing herself in all of this. It's easy to change for someone and forget who you really are."
Parveen's face softened as he regarded Sasha. "Lynsithea's strong. She hasn't forgotten who she is. If anything, Zane's presence has brought out pieces of her that were buried."
Sasha frowned. "I guess. I just worry. About both of them."
Parveen nodded reassuringly. "That's natural. But sometimes, it is just that kind of change that people need to grow."
Sasha fell silent, scanning the horizon for how much more things would change until this journey was done and over with.
With a whir, the wind whizzed past as the centipede ran across the floor of the forest, its segmented body fluidly making its way between trees and over roots. I couldn't stop grinning, the surge of adrenaline coursing through me.
I could never have imagined riding something like this, much less through a forest, and yet here I was, holding onto the centipede with Lynsithea holding on to my back.
I turned back and saw her arms tighten around me a bit as we hit a bump. Her face shone with excitement and the silver hair flew in the wind. "You okay back there?" I shouted back over the noise of the rushing wind and the movement of the centipede.
She laughed, the voice bright, carefree. "Better than okay! This is incredible!"
I couldn't help myself, I felt that way too. It was hard to fathom, as crazy as it all had been. The cool air of the forest was a sharp contrast to the hot desert air we just left, and trees became blurs as we ran at a fast clip through the foliage. It was almost too unbelievable to actually think that not all that long ago, I struggled just to keep up with this-he said combat training, endless challenges one after another.
Now, though, riding this giant centipede, I almost felt, free.
"Having fun?" I teased, turning my head slightly to catch a glimpse of her expression.
Lynsithea's smile was radiant as her usual calm demeanor was replaced by pure joy. "More than I expected. You seem like you're enjoying this more than I thought you would, Zane."
I chuckled. "Well, it's not every day you get to ride a giant centipede through a magical forest."
She giggled softly. "I guess not."
I leaned back, the warmth of her body behind me palpable. There was just something about this moment, here with her, the quiet of the forest, the rush of the ride that made it all all right, wrong as things constantly were.
For one brief moment, I had forgotten about the coming battles, the training, the weight of everything upon my shoulders. It was just us, riding through this beautiful, ancient forest on the back of a creature that I would have never believed existed just a few months ago.
Yeah, this was fun. And maybe, just maybe, things were starting to look up.
And as we drew near, before me lay a scene I had never seen. There, in golden light, the sun shone on the earth; there, the smell of salt water filled the air. The ground under the centipede's feet slowly changed from solid earth to fine, white grains, and then far away, I saw the broad stretch of ocean meet the sky.
Lynsithea smiled, her eyes sparkling like the ocean as she turned toward me.
"Welcome to Azure Tide, Alektos' homeland." she said.
I couldn't help but stare, completely mesmerized by the sight before me. The coastline was dotted with villages, small homes nestled among palm trees, while the sound of waves crashing against the shore possessed a soothing quality to it, nearly hypnotic.
The beach was endless, the turquoise waters shimmering under the sunlight. It was my first time seeing a beach-really seeing it-and the contrast between this place and the barren, ruined lands of Æsir just overwhelmed me.
"This, this is amazing!" I breathed, not quite believing it yet. I had seen oceans in old pictures and films, but nothing had prepared me for the sight in real life. The beaches in Æsir were a thing of the distant past, where the shore had become buried under layers of decay and debris. I had never thought I'd get to see one in person.
As we entered the Azure Villages, it was like a different world, in a very peaceful, serenity-ridden atmosphere. The small village over here stands just inches apart from the coastline; the houses were made of both wood and stone, with their outer ends decorated with seashells and other oceanic themes.
Palm trees are enjoying the breeze, shifting shades on the fine, sanded ways that pass between buildings. Children ran along the beach, giggling as they frolicked in the shallow waves, while villagers stopped to greet us-smiling warm and friendly, their faces kissed golden from a life spent by the ocean.
I felt myself being drawn to the edge of the ocean, my feet sinking into the soft, powdery sand.
The sound of the waves rolling onto the shore was like music-calm, soothing in a way I hadn't experienced in a very long time. I walked a little in front of the rest, just to take an eyeful of the water. It was crystal clear, an amazing blue that stretched out as far as one could see, the sun making it glimmer like a sea of diamonds.
I knelt and let cool water wash over my fingers.
For a moment, I closed my eyes, letting only the peace of this place sink in. To think that such a place existed still, after everything the world had endured, was hard to really wrap my mind around.
I rose to my feet, and before me lay the endless horizon. A part of me couldn't believe that anything so beautiful still had a chance of being real. It had seemed to be a walk into some kind of dream.
The air was fresh, filled with the scent of salt and flowers, while the sea cooled my skin with its breeze-the sand beneath my feet warm.
"This place," I muttered to myself, my head shaking in utter disbelieve. "It's perfect."
Lynsithea walked up beside me, a soft smile on her face. "I thought you'd like it. It is one of few places that have been left unmarred by war or technology's greed. It's special."
I turned to her and back to the sea. "I never would have thought such a place still exists. In Æsir, such places only exist in stories."
She nodded. "Azure Tide is different. People here live in harmony with the land and sea. No pollution, no destruction-just balance."
Sasha and Parveen joined us in looking out to the ocean. Sasha had that playful smirk on her face. "I can read it in your eyes, Zane. You wanna stay here, ain't ya?"
I didn't say no. How could I? The thought of leaving behind the chaos and ruins of Æsir-to finally find peace in a place like this-was tempting. More than that.
Parveen crossed his arms over his chest, an knowing glint in his eye. "I see it in everyone who comes here. It's a hard place to leave-especially for someone like you who's only known destruction."
I chuckled, though my voice weighed down with some unspoken something. "Yeah. I could get used to this."
But deep inside, I knew I couldn't stay here-not yet. There was still too much unfinished business, too many questions I needed answers to. And a part of me just couldn't walk away from the people still trapped in Æsir, struggling to survive like I had. I had to see it through.
But for now, standing here with Lynsithea, Sasha, and Parveen, I let myself be swept up in Azure Tide's beauty for just a little while longer.
I stood there, lost in the beauty of the ocean. Then, suddenly, behind me, the sound of footsteps reached me. I turned to see Alektos walking towards us. He was commanding-imposingly tall, his skin bronzed to gleaming under the sun, pulled back in a loose braid. What he wore was simple, yet regal, fitting for one who belonged to such a place as this, tuned with nature. The way he moved-such fluidity that spoke of strength and wisdom.
Sasha and Parveen straightened a little; their spines unconsciously recognised his authority. Alektos merely nodded at them, but his gaze cut at once to me. There was something sharp in that gaze, a quiet intensity which made me feel he was already weighing and assessing me, even before one word was said.
"Welcome back, Parveen, Sasha, and Lynsithea" Alektos said in a deep, calm voice, his eyes turning to me.
Alektos smiled, though much seriousness lay beneath. "Zane! You've seem enjoyed your time in Azure Tide so far?"
I threw a backward glance toward the ocean, setting my eyes back on him. "It's beautiful here, I have never seen anything like it."
Alektos nodded knowingly. "Azure Tide does that. But as much as I'd like to let you revel in the peace of this place, you're here for a reason." He paused, eyeing me over again. "Are you prepared?"
The question seemed to hang in the air, heavy with meaning. I didn't know exactly what was coming, but I could feel the weight of it. This wasn't some casual training session. This was the culmination of everything I had been preparing for.
I took a deep breath in, straightening my posture as best I could. "Yeah, I'm ready."
Alektos gave a slight nod of approval. "Good. Then let's not waste any time." He gestured for all of us to follow him as we started walking through the village, the peaceful waves of the ocean slowly being left behind in our wake.
I could feel the anticipation building up with each step. Whatever this last training would be, I knew right then and there it was going to be a challenge unlike anything I had faced before.
As the training ground began to shift, the very landscape morphed right before my eyes into an overly dramatic sight.
Where there was sand beneath our feet, suddenly a whole configuration of structures rose out of the ground: wooden beams, ropes, and platforms stretching towards the far shoreline.
It was some sort of obstacle course, yet so much more hazardous, unstable. At the other end, there was an anchored ship, awaiting on the edge of the sea. The whole place had come alive as though very nature was watching and waiting for me to take it on.
"What is this?" I asked, my voice betraying my awe as I took in the course. The obstacles that lay ahead were brutal, swinging ropes, collapsing bridges, sharp rocks jutting from the ground, and strange contraptions that I didn't even begin to understand.
Alektos stood beside me, smiling with confidence, pointing towards the ship. "This, Zane, is your last test. This is called Battlekour. You will need to pass this obstacle and reach the ship, but this is just the beginning."
I turned to him, confusingly. "Beginning?"
"The moment you reach the ship, you have to sail that to the island," Alektos pointed a finger to a faraway mist-covered island way deep into the sea. "But there is peril around the ocean always, here. There are storms going to test your resolve. You have to guide the ship to the island while you avoid me."
I frowned. "Avoiding you?"
Alektos sneered. "I'll be hot on your heels throughout the course, chasing after you. When I catch you, you're out. You fall in the water, you're out. But if you can make your way to the ship and successfully sail it to the island, you beat me."
I heard Parveen snicker behind me. "It is not as easy as it seems, Zane. Alektos does this the best. For you to stand the slightest chance, you will have to be fast and witted."
Sasha snuffed, a mischievous grin spreading across her face as she folded her arms. "You think you can handle it, Zane?"
I stared down at the grueling obstacle course that lay in front of me, down towards the ship that was to take me across, and the roiling clouds above the sea, promising a storm. My heart pounded in my chest as I gulped down a deep breath. This wasn't just about surviving-it was about outthinking, outrunning, and outmaneuvering Alektos while fighting his way through nature's fury.
I looked at Alektos, determination racing in my veins. "Ready, let's do this."
Alektos nodded and raised his hand toward the course. "Then let the Battlekour begin!"
With the crowd's roaring, Alektos declared the start of the Battlekour. At the starting line, I felt my heart pound with adrenaline.
I looked sideways toward Alektos. Indeed, I was struck by his quite different look: now, he had an appearance somewhere between a fish and a Sylph, with gills on his neck, and ears pointed, which completed his features aquatically. His skin was sleek, almost shimmering, a hint of his connection with the water, and he had managed to look formidable but lithe at once.
A crescendo of clattering horns signaled the start of the test, and with a sense of nothing-to-lose, I hurled myself forward. Ahead of me lay the obstacle course: ropes swinging, narrow platforms, and fast-moving walls. In quick, precise motions, I coursed through the initial series of obstacles-leaping, swinging, climbing with concentration I never had previously applied.
Alektos moved easily beside me, almost becoming a part of the background as he handled each obstacle with finesse. Both of us were going smoothly until I felt the ground disappear from beneath me without warning.
Some hidden switch was pulled, and a rope swung down from above to drag me down into the waiting water.
I gasped as I splashed into the cold sea. Moments of panic took hold of me, but I kicked and swam to the side, pulling myself back up onto the course with a fresh determination.
As I rejoined the course, I turned around and called out, "What was that?"
Alektos continued to pass through the obstacles with ease, returning his gaze with a smirk. "Button traps. There will be different kinds of traps in this course either to keep you back from moving on or to get your attention. They're meant to test your physical skills but also how you can handle each situation."
My lips pursed at the realization that this course meant so much more than a physical challenge, yet an endurance-strategical and mental kind of test. "Got it," I replied as I furthered on.
Alektos had managed to keep his brilliant pace up to now and obviously enjoyed the challenge with each obstacle he coaxed his way through. "Keep your eyes open, Zane. There are more surprises coming."
I nodded, a steely resolution setting in. This was one test that wasn't going to make me back down. I had to be alert at every step and overcome whatever came my way in the most appropriate manner. The crowd cheering and the hum of drums somewhere in the distance got me motivated, pressing onward through the course, each new challenge only firming my resolve to succeed.
We both were working our way through the obstacle course when Alektos's eyes flashed with mischief. In an instant, he had depressed another hidden button, and a massive log swung out from the side, heading directly for me.
Instinctively, I hunched and rolled to one side, narrowly avoiding the crushing impact of the log. My heart was racing as I realized just how close I'd come to being knocked off course. I looked across at Alektos, who was regarding me with a mixture of hilarity and admiration.
In my mind's eye, I replayed Sasha's training: the drilling she had done on awareness, reflexes sharpening the instinct to a razor's edge, which allowed me to foresee and act appropriately in this high-stakes environment.
And with each running of the course, overcoming obstacles, I better realized that all this time Sasha had prepared me for this, forcing me to push myself more and more with every training. It was her techniques, helping me sharpen my reflexes; it was everything, not physical strength but instinctive feeling of impending danger, immediate reaction to it, and focus under stress.
Alektos continued to flow through with fluid grace through the course, peaking on the challenge as much as I was. The presence of him and the ever-changing obstacles kept me on my toes to do great.
I continued forward with my eyes on the lookout, ready for whatever might jump out at me. Each new obstacle offered a new test; with Sasha's training in mind, I was ready. Relentless was the course, but I would be determined to go through to the end in style.
---
As Zane continued to climb the steep face, Sasha turned to Lynsithea, who had clutched in her hand the broken Nova Watch that belonged to Zane. The device had a level of mystery and foreboding associated with it throughout their quest, and Sasha was curious.
"Hey, Lynsithea," Sasha said, turning to her-a hint of curiosity in her voice, "has the Nova Watch started glowing at all?"
Lynsithea shook her head slowly, eyes considering the watch as she did so. "No, it's not glowing," she said. "It has remained quiet the whole time."
Sasha frowned slightly, her brow furrowing with concern. "That is strange; I had thought perhaps it would react to all of the training and stress that Zane has under his belt."
Lynsithea looked up the obstacle course, her eyes fixed on Zane. "I thought so too, maybe the Nova Watch is just waiting for something specific to trigger it."
Sasha nodded, still watching as Zane took his way across the obstacle course. "We can just keep an eye on it. If it starts to glow, that could mean something important will happen."
For a moment, they all fell silent as Zane negotiated the course with purpose and emotionlessness in his heart; cheering crowd noises, people shouting, accompanying with the rhythmic beat of the festival drums filled the air with energy-a lively backdrop of a great performance that Zane did.
---
My heart was racing with adrenaline as I reached the ship. The last part of the obstacle course was really tricky, but I was finally there. I climbed aboard, doing some deep breathing in an attempt to steady myself. I wasn't exactly sure how to operate this vessel, but there was no time for hesitation.
I reached the wheel in a hurry and firmly grasped it. The size of the ship was enormous, and one could feel the weight when the wheel was to be turned. Instincts took over as I tried to maneuver it, feeling out the controls and the way the ship responded.
As the ship gained in its motion, it really groaned and creaked, and I tugged and strained, trying to keep it on course.
The foaming waves in front made my work even more daunting. I could hardly see anything through the spray of the sea, yet somewhere in my mind, I knew I had to make my way forward.
Every wave was hitting the ship with strong force, and the vessel swayed dangerously. Pressing through the uncertainty, I steered the ship toward the island.
The infighting of the mind that I was involved in, reeling control in once more, was continuing to rage on with thoughts of training, obstacles, and that strange feeling I'd had with the Nova Watch; it felt like all moments in time were converging into this one.
The wind is howling strongly as the storm surrounds me. Waves hit the ship's sides with great force, sending water flying into the air. I hold the steering wheel tightly, my fingers turning white as I try to keep the ship stable.
This is my first time steering this ship, and everything feels unfamiliar and scary.
The sea is a mix of dark water and churning foam, with the horizon hidden by the storm. I can hardly see the faint shape of the island through the heavy rain and darkness. Each bump of the ship makes me feel like I might lose my balance, but I clench my teeth and work hard to stay in control.
I've never felt the sea so full of life and so dangerous before. I need to concentrate on my job keeping the ship on the right path and heading directly toward the island. Every part of me wants to turn back, but I know I can't. I have to keep going, no matter how strong the storm becomes.
Sweat mixes with the rain on my face as I steer through the storm, struggling to stay on course. I think about my goal, the reason I'm out here, and that gives me the strength to keep fighting against the storm.