Erinara

Erinara

It was unusual for my mentor to ask favors of me. I approached the main gate of the citadel I called home, patiently waiting for the guest Ebiron talked about. The doors slowly opened. A man equipped in plate armor stepped in. Only his face was directly visible. His brown hair was cut very short, green eyes scanned the room quickly. He definitely was on edge, preparing for an attack if so required.
“Greetings. My mentor has requested me to escort you to the dining room. Can you follow me?”, I asked.
His eyes fixed on me. Usually at this point I’d be asked how my drawn hood created a shadow that made my features indiscernible, a spell I got used to keeping active at all times. He seemed to collect his bearings for a bit longer, eyebrows slightly raised in thought.
“Yes, thank you”, he answered, not commenting on my hidden face to my surprise.
“Wonderful. Could I further ask you to sheathe your swords? There is no need for them. I also don’t fling my weapons around haphazardly”, I raised my hand, briefly letting small wisps of shadow slither around my fingers.
A few seconds passed.
“Right. Please excuse me.” He slowly slid both his swords into their scabbards hanging from the sides of his hips. His mind was clearly racing as his gaze focused on me again.
“You are a guest of the house, shouldn’t you feel more at ease?”, I asked. Ebiron had told me we expected a guest, they usually had some respect at the very start, sure, but this man looked like he was expecting me to attack him at any moment. His right hand was holding on to the right sword’s hilt.
“You sheathed the right blade into the left scabbard. I assume resting your hand there purely serves to be comforting? Very well. Let us not keep Ebiron waiting.”
“Ebiron… why would he do this?”, the man asked out loud.
“I am merely here to escort you, even if I knew I wouldn’t tell you.”
I turned around and began making my way to the dining hall. The man caught up to walk by my side, swaying slightly with every step.
“My head feels like it’s breaking. When’d he say the effects would wear off again?”, he mumbled to himself.
Spell effects? The only spell I knew off that could mess with the head to that degree was shadow teleportation, but only Ebiron and I could use it. I remember Ebiron talking about combat, but did he also say he was going to bring someone here? I should’ve paid more attention instead of trying to change that one spellcasting formula for the third time.
“We can take it slow. What is your name? I’m Erinara”, I asked the man.
He placed his hand on his chest plate. “Ah. I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t introduce myself, did I? My name is Jin Eaglecrest.”
A named member of the kingdom of crests? As much as I wanted to question what was going on, it wasn’t my place to do so. Everything I know of any person with ‘crest’ in their name was extremely negative. Cultists the lot of them. They wouldn’t think twice to try and execute me. Maybe that’s why he seemed so on edge? But he couldn’t have seen through my disguise, could he?
Jin tapped his armored hands against his temple a few times.
“Finally got my head screwed on right again. Sorry for the delay, as a knight I should be able to walk steadfastly no matter what’s happening.”
I don’t think he realized that he, in fact, recovered at a ludicrous speed from the side effects. Usually, people who don’t cast the spell themselves are unable to even stand up for up to half an hour the first time they get teleported. It took me a couple of attempts until I was able to get over the nausea myself.
“Please lead the way, miss Erinara.”
Without another word I continued moving forward. Jin didn’t engage in small talk, instead opting to investigate his surroundings constantly. An unusual situation once again, I’m much more used to every guest trying to get all buddy-buddy with me in order to get closer to Ebiron by extension.
We arrived at the dining room.
I briefly greeted Ebiron before having my assistance requested by Kayon. Jin and Ebiron were left by themselves.
“Thank you so much for helping me, Erinara. Master Ebiron wishes to hold a banquet for his guest, with your magic talents I can prepare the meal in no time.”
Kayon and I were the only inhabitants of the citadel with high standings, as both of us worked directly under Ebiron. I was his protégé in any magical affairs, often working on new spells or reinventing older ones. Kayon took care of just about everything else, including being a strategy advisor for Ebiron, not that he would need one. As Kayon and I shared this situation, it was common for us to help each other out any way we can. Apart from Ebiron, Kayon was the only person to have seen my face.
“Of course, I’m glad to help. Say do you know what’s going on with this guest? He is named Jin Eaglecrest, he’s the first named ‘crest’ to be in our citadel”, I said.
“He was another soldier sent to his death in the name of the council. This time however the duel target that was challenged was none other than master Ebiron himself. Would you be so kind to cut the fish into thin cubes please?”
Shadowy threads extended from my hand, aligning themselves over the fish. In one quick motion the skin was sliced away, followed by cutting the meat into shape as requested.
“Right, the combat Ebiron was preparing a simulacrum for.”
“Exactly”, Kayon continued as he added more materials for me to cut into various shapes and sizes, “I was watching the battle with the master. He thinks that Eaglecrest is misguided, and as usual didn’t want to kill his opponents. Master Ebiron transported Eaglecrest here when he was going to be eliminated by the enforcers.”
“The council does not change its system ever, does it? This is what, the sixth person they would’ve murdered after they fulfilled their purpose?”
“Eighth. He didn’t put up a fight against them though, only kept a defensive stance until master Ebiron showed up.”
“Is he that foolish to not fight back for his life?”, I asked, “What could Ebiron see in someone like that?”
“According to the master, our guest did try to strike him in the instant he appeared on the battlefield. So it wasn’t his fighting spirit being broken holding him back.”
“So he didn’t fight for his life but still tried to assassinate his target? What, does he have no thought process regarding self preservation? Sounds like he's nothing more than another cultist.”
“He was the only duelist sent who introduced himself before the battle, and even gave the simulacrum preparation time. Though it didn’t take the offer and instead engaged in combat directly.”
“So the simulacrum was arrogant and threw away a tactical advantage. Yet another mistake to be corrected, what a headache”, I sighed.
“I don’t think that was the important information here, miss Erinara.”
I forced my mind back to the conversation at hand, as I already considered potential solutions for a revised version of a simulacrum spell.
“Right, sorry. Why would he introduce himself to an enemy, and give himself a disadvantage on top? What a naïve, reckless thing to do.”
“You’d call it reckless, he called it honorable.”
“The naming scheme hardly matters if it causes you to lose.”
Kayon chuckled. “Very practical, as always. You are technically right of course, but there is more that goes into it than pure efficiency”, he teased.
“Efficiency is important. How else would I be able to help with clean cuts here?”, I replied jokingly.
We kept chatting as the various meals were being prepared.
Before long everything was ready to be moved to the dining hall.