Aeres Academy - Chapter 22 preview

“So what did you think of Marshall?” Brand asked, his plate dropping beside mine as he took a seat across from me. I looked up from my meal – the world’s equivalent of stew and bread – and sighed. Resolutely, I put my spork in my mouth, the tuber crunchy and bursting with umami as I crunched my way through, refusing to be rushed.

The entire dining hall was busy, even those few noviates who had chosen not to stay in the dormitories made use of the very convenient – and cheap – dining hall during the middle of the day. The buzz of over thirty noviates chattering away, ribbing and laughing at one another or grousing about our teachers set my teeth on edge.

I swallowed my mouthful, only for Yorrick to join us, his plate heaped high. Moments later, Kira and her wisps joined us, though she just offered a nod before spearing a potato. Thankfully, Rayzan was not making an appearance. Instead, he’d followed Pialleni, chattering away with her like they were longtime companions.

Probably were.

“Why ask me?” I asked, scooping up a bobbing piece of meat in the stew.

Brand held a finger up. “You were still on your feet.” A second finger rose, eyes flicking to Yorrick and then Kira. “You weren’t using a skill to cheat.” A third finger. “You’re no legacy, or so Rayzan says.” 

“Big mouth…” I grumbled.

Kira smirked, but stayed silent as Brand finished with one last finger. “You’re old.”

“Hey!” I protested. “What’s that got to do with anything?”

“He means experienced.” Kira reached over, patted my arm. “It’s a good thing.”

I glared at her condescension.

“Also, you’re nice enough to give me an answer.” Brand’s five fingers waggled at me, the traditional – religious, if you will – five of the primary gods of Tionerth, and then Brand made a fist, closing it tight and sealing the point. 

Five gods, eighteen other ancillary members in the pantheon. I had a hard time taking their gods seriously, since these “gods” were just delvers who had reached unheard of levels. Some said they even managed to make it to the core, though that was quite the religious debate.

Certainly, the five who were supposed to have done so had never resurfaced, unlike the eighteen lesser gods. Of course, because these eighteen did return, their worshippers were just as numerous, if not more so, than the five.

I had to admit, the entire concept of worship on Tionerth tickled a little Chinese part of me. A lot of it was familiar, with rituals and bribes – tithes – given to the gods. In turn, you could attach to more and more powerful orbs, many sent back by more powerful delvers as part of their tithe, or, in the case of the ninety-ninth level temple, the god himself.

“So?” Brand said.

Annoyingly enough, the kid was right. I did have an idea, and I was going to answer him more from a natural desire to clarify my own thoughts about the training than any specific overwhelming kindness. Still, one thing I’d learnt when dealing with others, it was always better to see their mind at work.

“What did you think they were trying to train?” I asked.

“Endurance,” Kira said. “And the ability to control your skill.”

“For those of us you who had an appropriate active skill,” Yorrick grumbled, rubbing his arm, still stained with blood. Unlike many of us, he was still wearing his ragged clothing from the morning, not having brought a change with him after the quick bucket wipe down the majority had indulged in. “The rest of us didn’t get anything from it.”

“Other than a workout for your body. And a strain on your core,” Brand pointed out. “Which will see it grow, especially for most passives.”

“That’s not how…” 

Kira rapped her spork on the table. “Hush, you two. We’re going to class on this today. And he asked you a question.”

“Mimic,” Brand taunted.

Yorrick grinned at the other teen’s comment and they shared a moment of camaraderie borne from the love of insults. Kira snorted, the hovering wisps buzzing a little closer to the pair threateningly. Brand eyed the wisps, then a considering look grew on his face as he stared at it.

“Awareness and dodging skills.” Yorrick answered after realizing I was going to continue eating. The meal was decent, the stew likely started in the early hours of the morning with just enough time for a few hours of boiling. Enough time to begin the breakdown of the hard gristle, but my preference would have been a few hours more on the fire, especially if they were going to purchase cheap cuts like these.

I wondered if I could introduce them to pressure cookers…

“The healer also said, understanding other skills.” Brand’s finger rose and pointed at the wisp. “Prime point. Those are terrible to be near.”

“So bad,” Yorrick muttered, rubbing his side now.

“Looks like you got it, kids,” I said. “Endurance, coordination, spatial awareness, skills and where everyone else is. Even against increasingly more difficult attacks.” 

“So is he training us to run?” Brand said. Contrary to his words, there was no sarcasm in his voice. 

“I’m not opposed to praying to Diholt.” Yorrick said, naming the god known for his speed and sneakiness. The thief’s favorite god, as well as those who were a little smaller and utilized the two foot, hot foot. 

“You would.” Brand poked a finger at the wisp that darted away from his finger. “Your wisps are weird.”

“Mpphff-?” Kira, caught out while chewing on a dripping piece of bread, stared at Brand, chewing as she asked, “Whampf?”

“Swallow before talking,” I chided, gently. 

Children.

“They’re not your skill, are they. They’re something else. Bonded companions? Some ritual you enacted?” 

“How do you know that?” she asked after she swallowed, glaring at Brand. 

Yorrick, silent, watched the pair with wide eyes. 

“My skill,” Brand muttered. “I can tell there’s no skill involved in your control of them. Or, not directly? You’ve got so many but I think…” He frowned, turned his hand up sideways. The explosion of flame that erupted from his hand made all but Kira flinch. 

Even as I threw myself backward and off the bench, I could not help but notice how the eruption of flame curled backwards and away from Kira. The explosion of flame shut off moments later, as I hit the ground, hands slapping against the hard stone to break my fall.

Still hurt, and Yorrick, who had done the same thing but with less grace and training, was standing up, holding his elbow gingerly.

“You okay?” I asked, concerned as I rolled up. 

“I’ll be fine,” the kid muttered. “Just a knock.” 

“Cracked orb. That was—” Brand began.

“Leech!” Kira shrieked and stood up, an accusing finger directed at Brand. The din from the dining hall at Brand’s failed skill use cut off, the word silencing the onlookers. Yorrick shrank back, eyes darting around as he realized how many people were watching. 

I sighed, cracking my head from side to side. Exactly what I wanted from lunch – my food to be spilled, my quiet to be interrupted and to become the center of attention. I was beginning to remember why I hated high school.

“I’m no leech!” Brand hissed, standing to match her. “And if you don’t lower that finger, I’m going to bite it!”

“If you’re no leech, then how’d you use my skill?”

“I didn’t steal anything. I copied it.” Brand lifted his chin. “You didn’t lose your skill, did you?”

“You’re a copy?” Now Yorrick looked up at Brand, eyes wide with wonder, a little awe and, lurking right behind, jealousy. 

After centuries of use, there were skills that – while not banned – were generally either looked down upon or greatly admired. Leeches – skills that took from another – were one of the taboo skills. They came in a variety of forms, but always the subject lost something. Their users could grow powerful – often were amongst the most powerful adventurers – but they also were feared because of the price they extracted. It did not help that some of their most famous users had been found to indiscriminately utilize their skill to grow in power.

Copy skill users were the direct opposite. While most copy users had significant limitations – and, generally, were considered weaker than a leech user of the same strength and experience – they had the most flexibility and, like leech users, a disproportionate number of these adventurers were in the highest echelons of delvers. In fact, four of the nineteen gods were either leeches or copies.

That we had both a leech and copy user in the academy at the same time was rather surprising and unexpected. Not that I figured anyone else had come to that conclusion just yet.

“That… no. Copies can’t take everything and that was… that was strong!” Kira said, looking discomfited.

“I didn’t copy everything. I can’t. It’s just…” He frowned, shook his head. “Whatever. I don’t have to explain how my skill works to you.”

“But you do to me.” The voice, low and rumbly, cut through the crowd. Heads jerked to the side, as we all saw another of our trainers. Short, wide and intense, the man wore a simple enchanted vest and blousy pants, a buckler with glyphs hanging down one side of his modified belt and a short sword the other.

Just as the group began to react, fifth bell rung and I winced.

Right. Time for class to start.

And I hadn’t even finished my meal.