The next morning, early dawn…
After renting two horses from a nearby stable, Haelas, Karisha and Sol set off on a long journey towards the former's home. They rented two horses since Sol couldn't ride one yet. She usually rides on carriages. Sol then rode with Karisha.
After about three kilometers away from the camp, a group of familiar young aspirants (who are all Wishbones-three male and two female), armed with wooden swords and dressed in their civilian robes, suddenly blocked their way. Their leader is a really familiar face.
"What's happening here Aries?" Karisha asked.
Aspirant Aries Alkus is the second best among the aspirants, next to Aspirant Latras Davos.
"Hey, weakling! Receive your punishment!" Aries exclaimed and ordered his two female companions to beat Sol.
As soon as they heard that, Karisha immediately found an opening and tried to gallop away but Sol was pulled behind her and she dropped on the ground so hard. She had no choice but to stop the horse and get down. Haelas also got down from his horse as well as Aries and his companions.
Karisha and Haelas helped Sol to stand up.
"What punishment are you saying? Sol didn't do anything wrong to the lot of you!" Karisha yelled to them.
"There is. Embarrassment. She tainted our name as Wishbones. Do you know what those lowly creatures spoke behind our backs? Our greatness is all fake! I have endured for so long and now that we are out of the camp, I can now beat her!" Aries said.
Brawl and violence is prohibited inside the camp that's why Aries couldn't do anything to Sol.
"Then, you are a coward! How can you bully the weak? That's why you can never beat Latras!" Karisha yelled in the heat of the moment.
Aries, angered, swiftly raised his wooden sword and tried to strike Karisha but Sol was able to block it from the twig that she picked from the ground.
"Stand back. It's me that they want," Sol whispered.
"No! Do you take our friendship so lightly? Even though we aren't much skilled, we will still stand beside you!" Haelas yelled to Sol as he also picked another twig from the ground.
"What a touching speech! Well, we don't mind playing with you a little bit before beating you all up!" Aries said.
"Wait! I'll give you a chance!" Sol suddenly said, "Can you recognize what this is?" she asked as she pointed at the Defender's pin on her robe- the one that Captain Karsh gave her.
"Do you know who gave this to me? It's no other than the infamous ruthless Captain Tobias Karsh. If you will ever harm me, you will answer to him! Do you think you can handle it?"
Aries laughed so loud that he choked on it.
"Captain Karsh gave that to you? You are not only weak but you are also a thief and a liar," he said and walked towards her.
He removed the pin and put it on his own robe, "You don't deserve this. Only the strong will get this."
He then ordered his female companions, "Let's play with them!"
"Alright!" they yelled and smirked.
The two female Wishbones circled the trio. The fight officially started. Playful attacks from left and right continued to rain on the trio as they continued to defend themselves so hard.
Aries and the other two male Wishbones stood by and watched.
Only knowing that this is a fight between two Wishbones versus a weak Wishbone and two Mixed- you can already guess who will win. One Wishbone can take them down without any sweat.
When the fight was unexpectedly taking time, Aries joined.
"I can't believe that I need to use my strength on you. This should've been done minutes ago," Aries said as he tried to strike Sol. Fortunately, Sol was able to defend herself.
The fight continued. Haelas, Sol and Karisha have been receiving hard blows from left and right and they are hanging by a thread. Karisha fell on the ground. Haelas followed. And one final blow made Sol fall as well.
Aries kneeled beside Sol.
"It would have been better if you would die so that there would be no more embarrassment to us."
He then stood up and kicked Sol's back side. It made her squirm in pain.
Just as Aries and his companions were about to leave, the sound of horses' arrival was heard. Sol, Haelas and Karisha didn't have any more strength to lift their eyes. They just remained on the ground with pain on every corner of their bodies.
Mounted on those horses were Captain Karsh, Sir Braegen, Sir Allegros and Nikos. Captain Marius wasn't there since he went to send Commander Remus and Captain Trajan off.
They got off their horses. The defenders started to walk towards them; while, Nikos remained beside his own horse and held the lead ropes of the Defenders' horses.
Aries and his companions tried to flee but Dorn and Ka-el were able to catch them and struck them on their knees, injuring them.
The shouts of pain from Aries and his companions made Sol, Haelas and Karisha try to sit up. There they saw Captain Karsh and his friends as well as Aries and his companions squirming in pain on the ground.
"Ca-Captain K-Karsh?" Sol uttered.
Tobias hurried towards them at lightning speed. Ka-el also approached them while Dorn kept an eye on Aries and his companions who were on the ground near them.
As Tobias approached them, his incoming presence was so heavy with dominance and intimidation. His face is stoic like before but his eyebrows are already meeting each other while his lips are pressed so tightly together. It seems like a storm is coming.
Upon approaching the two groups, Tobias stared at them. He noticed that Sol and her friends were badly bruised and wounded.
"What foolishness is this?" Tobias shouted at them with a stern face, showing his stare of death.
All eyes immediately shifted towards Tobias. Ka-el couldn't even speak as he didn't expect that Tobias would burst out like that. Dorn silently gulped.
The breeze passed by so coldly.
They were all dumbfounded with fear. They're like turtles who suddenly hid inside their shells. All of them finally realized that Tobias is a really terrifying presence especially when he's angry. The situation made the rumors about him become a fact.
"Did you all aspire to be Defenders just to foolishly inflict pain on your brothers?! If so, then just quit! You will just bring shame to the name of the Defenders!!" Tobias continued to shout as he looked from Sol's group and Aries' group.
"Who instigated this battle?" he asked them, even though he knows who.
The breeze passed by again coldly.
"Who?!" he shouted again, much louder and with a hint of anger.
"It's me, Captain," Aries admitted, glaring at the captain, as he tried to be on his injured knees.
"Do you want to go blind?"
Aries tried to continually glare at the captain but failed. He lowered his gaze.
"Listen. All of you who are with this aspirant, go back to the camp to receive your punishment!" Tobias ordered.
Then something caught Tobias' eyes.
"Wait?!" He yelled and went to Aries. He grabbed the pin on the aspirant's robe and looked at the back part of the pin. The initials T and K were engraved in it. It was his pin. He harshly removed it.
"Sir Allegros, escort them!" he ordered.
Dorn nodded and ordered them to stand up. Even when they're struggling because of their injured knees, Aries and his companions immediately heed the Captain's order as they mounted their horses with the help of Dorn. As Aries passed by Nikos, he gave him a menacing look. He inferred that he's the one who informed the Captain about the fight.
Tobias then turned to Sol and her companions. Ka-el was beside Haelas currently checking his bruises.
"Aspirant Moraii, you can go back to the camp with your companions to get your wounds treated first before continuing your journey," Tobias said in a calmer voice as he pinned the pin on her soiled robes.
Sol gulped. She's still terrified at the Captain that it made her mute.
Tobias just stared at Sol waiting for her reply. Then, he noticed her arms. They are trembling. Before he could talk again, she spoke.
"Thank you for your graciousness Captain; but, we've been delayed so much. We need to go. We'll just buy some medicine along the way."
"But your bruises and wounds are quite serious."
"Yes, Captain. Our body is full of pain right now and we are not in a hurry-" Haelas said. Karisha nudged him.
"What?" he asked Karisha. She gave him a 'shut up look'.
Tobias looked at Sol. She seemed determined…or maybe afraid of him.
"Okay."
"Then, please excuse us, Captain."
"Go on."
Sol, Karisha and Haelas then tried to climb on their horses with the help of Ka-el. Even Ka-el, he couldn't persuade Haelas to go back to the camp. After giving a little bow, the trio went on their way.
"Why do you think those Wishbones decided to gang up on Aspirant Moraii who is also a Wishbone," Haelas asked Dorn.
"It's pride."
"Pride?"
"I heard that even Aspirant Moraii is a Wishbone, she is still weak. For the Wishbones who take great pride in who they are, that is a taint in their reputation. Maybe that's why they bullied Aspirant Moraii."
"But Aspirant Moraii is the daughter of a respected Adviser, are they not afraid that her family will retaliate?"
"Not really as they are the children of prominent ministers in our land so they fear no one."
"Wait… what if their families retaliate against us?" Ka-el asked with a worried face.
"Don't worry. I'll take responsibility if ever they'll retaliate," Tobias assured his friend.
Ka-el sighed and then he remembered a similar incident from their past.
When they were aspirants, a proud aspirant challenged Tobias' skills (as he was known to be the top aspirant in the later days of their training). Tobias initially refused the challenge and tried to avoid it several times. However, he lost it when that aspirant insulted his parents, saying that they are a pair of good for nothing traitors.
Inside the camp where fighting is prohibited and it's subject to severe punishment, they still fought until that aspirant accepted defeat. As it was a rule, whether you're the instigator or the victim, you'll both be punished. Tobias also received a punishment. As for Sol's case, as the incident happened outside the camp, only the instigator will receive the punishment.
Just as Tobias was about to climb on his horse, he saw a necklace hanging on a twig. He went to get it. He stared at it. He's familiar with it. The necklace has a golden sun as its pendant. On that sun were holes that represented the eyes and the curled up lips. So if you look at it, it's like a smile inside the sun or could be just a smiling sun. He gave a necklace like this to someone years ago, that's why he's familiar with it. That is the only copy of that necklace in the world as he asked a skilled jeweler to personalize that for him. His heart began to pound.
Why is this necklace here? This necklace should be inside the Supremo's Manse.
"Captain Karsh, come on, let's go," Ka-el called out to him.
"Mmm."
Tobias put the necklace in his pocket and climbed onto his horse. They then made their way towards the camp while Tobias' thoughts were filled with that necklace.
XXX
Meanwhile, Haelas kept looking at Sol. He kept thinking why Sol is in a hurry to leave. They were seriously beaten up and could barely move.
Is it because she's also terrified with Captain Karsh's presence, like them?
"Why did we leave immediately? We are not in a hurry," he finally asked, after keeping it for about 30 minutes, "We could have been treated first before we journey again. My body pain intensifies as the horse's hooves land on the ground."
"I'm sorry. I've been selfish," Sol uttered solemnly that it made Haelas feel guilty after complaining like that.
"No…No. It's okay," he said, "but you should tell us why we left without being treated?"
"It's because-"
Sol couldn't bring herself to spill the selfish truth.
"It's because she spoke nonsense to Captain Karsh the night she got drunk. Now, she needs to apologize. I told her to bring her white orchids but she couldn't find them. Thus, she gave him pink orchids. She later found out that pink orchids means a confession of growing admiration to someone or even love. Now, she's embarrassed. That's why she wanted to leave immediately, " Karisha rattled.
"… I'm always amazed how you know me so well, my dear friend Karisha," Sol said.
"Oh. That's why you're asking about the language of flowers. And it's not because someone gave you flowers; it's because you gave someone flowers? "
"No!!" Sol suddenly exclaimed.
"What? That is how I understood Karisha's story," Haelas reacted.
"It's not about that! My necklace is missing!" she shouted as she continued to reach out around her neck and nape.
"That smiling sun necklace? Did you leave it at your quarters?"
"No. I'm sure that I had it when we left. Let's go back to where we fought. I need to find it."
"Oh okay."
The trio then went back to where they had the brawl. Sol, even with her aching body, immediately got down from the horse and started looking for the necklace. Haelas and Karisha also got down to help her look for it.
Sol concentrated her sense of sight on every part of the ground. After an hour of combing all of the corners of the battleground and she hadn't caught any sight of that necklace, she sluggishly sat down. Tears started streaming from her eyes.
She's not the type to easily cry, but right now, her tears kept streaming down.
Haelas and Karisha sat down behind her. They knew that Sol hates it when someone sees her while crying.
"That necklace seemed really really important to you," Haelas commented in a gentle voice.
There was no response, only frustrated sniffles.
"Did your father give it to you or your mother?" he continued asking, trying to ease the mood.
"Maybe, it's my father. Maybe it's my mother. I really don't know who gave it to me. I don't remember at all. I already had it when I was little."
"You don't know? Then, how did you know that it's important to you?" Karisha asked.
"I don't know. It's just that when I forgot to wear it, I felt heavy. Now that I lost it, I can't explain how I feel. Tears just keep coming out of my eyes and it's not tears of happiness. My heart feels so heavy right now. It's like I'm buried in grief and sorrow."
"If you feel like that, then that necklace is really important. You may have forgotten who gave it to you but your heart did not," Karisha stated, rather seriously.
"Then I really have failed to treasure it. What will I say if that person will ask about it?"
"Give him or her orchids, strictly white orchids," Haelas said, teasing.
Sol hit his arm.
"Sol, don't forget that you're a Wishbone. That really hurts. It felt like a hammer crushed my arm. Awwww," he complained as he blew his arm.
"It only hurts because you have been beaten."
Then, there was silence for several minutes as Haelas and Karisha waited for their friend to calm down.
"Sol, we've already searched this place again and again. However, we found nothing. Are you okay now to leave this place?" asked Karisha as darkness started to scatter around.
"I guess I'll just have to give white orchids to whoever gave me that necklace," Sol said as she hesitantly stood up. The sun is already setting, they need to move in order to find a place to stay for the night.
With one sorrowful look at the place, Sol climbed on the horse. Even though she really lost the necklace, she's still wishing that a miracle would bring it back to her.
XXX
Meanwhile, Aries and his companions got their injured knees treated while waiting for the arrival of Captain Marius. When he arrived and found out about the incident, he was extremely disappointed. As for the punishment, they should be working at the camp for 2 whole months; but their families intervened, so that was lessened to 1 month. If that incident is repeated, they will never be accepted to join the force again.
XXX
It's already nearing midnight when the trio found an inn. They also asked for oils and ointments to use on their bruises. Inside their room, it's Karisha's turn to apply the oils and ointments on Sol. Meanwhile after receiving her treatment, Haelas fell deep asleep in his room.
After the oils and ointments were applied to their bruises, Sol and Karisha also went to sleep. The hours must be running very fast since as soon as they closed their eyes, they have to open it again.
"Good morning uncle! What's for breakfast?" Haelas asked the innkeeper.
He's still bright even when he's still in pain.
"Good morning, young guests. How are you all feeling? We have a lot of choices here. But you might want to have our special for today which is Chicken in fermented soybean paste and pineapple juice. Would you like to try it?"
"Definitely uncle. That's my friend's favorite food," he said as he glanced at Sol who gave him a wide smile of approval.
"Okay. Would you like tea or coffee?"
"Two cups of coffee and 1 cup honey citron please."
"Okay then, please wait at that table. We'll be serving your orders in a moment."
"Thank you uncle."
The trio then went to settle at their table. After their breakfast, they decided to immediately continue with their journey.
XXX
They then entered the market area. They saw an arts shop called "Butterfly". Unconsciously, Sol went inside, while Karisha and Haelas had no choice but to follow her.
They proceeded to look around while the owner was still not around. She was then fixated on a painting by a painter named Probitas and the title is "Happiness". The painting shows two Wishbone kids. The girl is pouting while the boy is smiling wildly as he is ruffling the cosmos-white tresses of the girl.
As Sol stared at it, bright unclear images flashed before her eyes that it made her quite dizzy. She closed her eyes tightly and slowly opened them.
"Beautiful right?" a voice said.
They all turned around to see a middle-aged man, the owner of the arts shop.
"Right, Uncle. If I'm not traveling, I would like to buy it. But, since I am, can you reserve it for me until I come back?" Sol stated.
"Well, I can reserve it for one month but after that-"
"Uncle, Can you kindly extend it to two months?"
"Well…that would be…How about one month and a half? That would be my last offer."
"Okay, then. Thank you so much, Uncle."
After filling up her information on the log book. They then proceeded on their journey.
XXX
At the Training Camp of the Bloody Cloaks Division which is only five kilometers away from the Northern Training Camp of the Fort Amethyts (where all aspirants should train before leveling up to the Bloody Cloaks Division if they will be ever get accepted)…
Days passed by and Ka-el noticed that Tobias frequently stares at a certain necklace.
While staring the necklace on his palm, Tobias reminisces about one of his childhood memories.
X
When Tobias was just 8 years old, his dad would bring him to visit the nearby towns around Largus. However, this made his 5 year old 'sister' (the daughter of his dad's best friend) angry. When Tobias went to check on her after coming back with his dad, she refused to talk to him.
"Hey, I'm really sorry. I wasn't able to tell you that I'm going out with my father."
She continued to ignore him with her pouty face as she flipped through the pages of a storybook.
Tobias already knew that his 'sister' is really difficult. When he first talked to her, she ignored him for some time. She's really snobbish. However, when he was unable to visit her, they told him that she cried for a whole day looking for him. That started the time when she clings on to him. She always looked for him and played with him.
"Heyyyy… Even though I went to visit places, I never forget you. I brought you a present. Would you like to know what it is?"
Still, no reaction.
Tobias then brought out the necklace from his pocket and held it in the air, showing it to her.
"Oh, look at this. It's beautiful, right?" he asked as he showed the necklace with a pendant of a golden smiling sun.
"It's just a sun," she said, without calling him older brother.
Tobias smiled as he finally got some reaction from her.
"It's not just the sun. This is me."
"Why would you be the sun?"
The younger boy started to become serious.
"Well, people told me that I'm bright like the sun."
"Why do people say that you're bright like the sun?"
"It's because I always smile. See?" he stated and showed her his widest smile, "So, if you wear this Sun necklace, remember that that sun is me. Remember that I'm always with you, even if I'm not there with you."
"Hmmm," she reacted and grabbed the necklace from him. She then put it on.
"Older brother, can I also be like the sun?" she asked while holding the sun pendant.
She finally called him Older Brother. He smiled wider.
"Yes, of course."
"Oh. But, I only see one sun, older brother. Ah..I want to be a star, there are lots of stars compared to the sun."
"Okay. But if you want to be a star, there are things that you should do?"
"There are?"
"First, you need to smile more."
"Mmm," she said as she showed him her sweetest smile.
"Second, always call me Older brother.."
"Older brother," she said.
"And third, when you grow up, you should also give me a star so that wherever I will go, you will always be with me."
"Mmm. I will give older brother a star."
"Right," he said and pinched her cheek, "Okay, come on, let's go eat. Auntie prepared your favorite chicken in fermented soy beans and pineapple juice. "
"Okay. But don't leave me alone again older brother."
"Yes yes. I will never leave you again."
X
Tobias let out a small smile.
Come to think of it, I wonder how she's doing right now. I wish I could meet her easily, but I can't.
Before his thoughts would continue to wonder, he felt a strong tap on his shoulders. He looked at the person who tapped him-Ka-el.
"Oh.Oh.Oh. D-don't give me t-that stare of death! I've c-called you many t-times but you didn't r-respond. That's why I tapped you," Ka-el stated while stuttering, with crossed arms on his chest as a defense stance.
Tobias' eyes softened.
"Why? What is it?"
"What's with that necklace? You've been asking those aspirants about its owner, and finally, someone said that it's Aspirant Moraii. So, if that necklace is making you stare at a blank space while smiling creepily, why don't we follow her and give that back. I am still not ready to see you get crazy."
Tobias then clasped the necklace and put it back to his pocket.
He then started to walk towards his room.
"Hey, where are you going?" Haelas asked him.
"Pack up. We're going down South," Dorn answered him as he also went to his own room.
"Ohhh. Wonderful. I'm going to surprise that little boy Haelas!" he said as he also went to his room wrapped in excitement.
Aside from the reason of asking Sol about the necklace, Tobias decided to go down South also because they 'll be visiting a healer's home and he's interested with herbs and plants they're using. Mounted on three strong white steeds, Tobias, Ka-el and Dorn rode to the South.
XXX