24

“Excuse me, uh, Sion, right?”

Sion looks at the voice hailing him. Before him is a small girl with auburn hair that reaches her shoulders and yellow eyes, and a large bow on her back. She wears a tight-fitting navy blue shirt and gray shorts, with a quiver on her thigh.

“Yes, you’re Flan. What do you need?”

“Well, I’ve been trying to figure out how I can beat Glenten, but I don’t think I’ve made much progress. So I decided to recruit you. Will you spar with me?”

“Okay.”

The two of them walk to one of the training grounds and face each other. Flan nocks an arrow in her bow and draws it back. Sion starts running straight towards her. The arrow is loosed and flies right towards Sion. Sion dodges it without stopping his advance, nearly rolling in the air to do so. Sion reaches Flan before she can ready another arrow. Sion stops in front of her, his large body and presence imposing on her. He does nothing, but Flan still lowers her bow dejectedly, understanding. When she does so, Sion begins to talk.

“I don’t think it’s possible for you to beat Glenten in this sort of fight.”

“No, I’m sure there’s something I can do. Let’s do one more round.”

“Alright.”

Sion returns to the other side of the training ground. Again Flan nocks an arrow and again Sion begins to run. When the arrow is unleashed it sparks with electricity. It flies much faster than a normal arrow. Sion is still just barely able to dodge, but loses most of his speed to do so. However, he recovers quickly. Sion returns to running. As Flan begins to draw her bowstring back for a second shot, Sion stands in front of her.

“Glenten’s greatest strength is his speed and maneuverability. You can’t handle it.”

“There must be some way for me to win. Let’s investigate him.”

“Okay.”

As the two of them begin to leave, they spot Glenten himself approaching the training grounds. Sion calls out to him happily.

“Glenten, We were looking—” Flan stealthily kicks Sion in the back of the leg. “Flan? Why did you do that? Is something wrong?” Flan gestures for Sion to bend down to her, and he obliges. Flan whispers to him.

“We can’t let him know. If he knows, then he can plan around it.”

“Is there a point in winning like that? Isn’t it easier to just change the kind of match at that point?” Flan answers quickly, but the uncertainty is clear in her voice.

“Of course there’s still a ‘point’ to it.” Glenten has been watching them quietly.

“Did you two need me?” Flan responds.

“No we don’t. We were just leaving. Goodbye.”

“Very well then.” Glenten begins to take a step past them, but stops when he sees the training ground is empty save for them. “Ah, it seems I’ll be leaving with you.” Sion looks at him.

“Glenten, will you spar with me?”

“I’m in no desperate need of training, and it seems you have business to attend to. I’ll find somebody on my own.”

“We’re in no hurry.” Glenten acquiesces.

“Very well then, let’s spar. Though don’t be surprised if our rematch ends differently.”

Sion and Glenten take their positions, Flan standing around as their only audience. Glenten quickly readies his spear and drives it forward towards Sion as he rides the wind. Sion looks undaunted at the rapid approach. His presence and his unwavering gaze unnerve Glenten. Glenten, just as he reaches Sion, instinctively pulls back as his nerves get the best of him. Sion grabs one of Glenten’s shoulders and hooks his foot behind Glenten’s ankle. He pushes and pulls, forcing Glenten to the ground. Sion follows him to the ground, putting Glenten into a loose pin with his hand placed close to his neck, showing the threat of a stronger hold.

“Do you give up?” Glenten sighs.

“I concede.”

Sion removes himself from Glenten and straightens up. He extends a hand down towards Glenten. Glenten stays laying on the ground for a moment. Then he sits up and grabs Sion’s hand. Glenten rolls his shoulders once he’s standing.

“Thank you, Sion. That was a useful match. If I may ask, how were you able to defeat me so much more easily this time?”

“I already know how to deal with you from our first match. And you gave up quickly. Would you like another match?” Glenten seems apprehensive and evasive.

“No, I… have some business to attend to in the city. I should get to it sooner rather than later, I just felt the need to move my body some.”

“I see. Have a good day.”

“Thank you. I hope you have a nice day as well.” He looks towards Flan to regard her. “Both of you.”

As Glenten begins to walk away, Sion regroups with Flan.

“Flan, did you learn anything from that?” Flan grimaces.

“No, not at all. But even if it’s not directly from battle, there must be something about him I can use. Let’s tail him.”

“Is that really okay?”

“Of course it is. No harm, no foul. Now let’s get going before he gets too far.” Sion resigns himself.

“Alright.”

They follow after Glenten, maintaining a proper distance as Flan decides. As he had said, Glenten enters Messis proper, still unaware of the two following him. However, contrary to what he had said, Glenten does not seem to be in any sort of hurry to get somewhere. With Sion and Flan following him, Glenten wanders around Messis, seemingly without aim. Once Glenten makes the first circle of his wandering and retreads the same path a second time, Flan begins to think that he has actually been aware the whole time, and is simply playing them for fools now.

Glenten turns down a different street this loop, and Sion and Flan continue to follow him. Glenten walks past a flower shop, then stops and takes a step back. Flan panics slightly as she tries to get her and Sion back somewhere he won’t notice them. Glenten smiles at the shopkeeper, hands her a coin, and takes a single rose. Flan starts to gripe while they follow him.

“He’s not doing anything. There’s not anything I can use. What a useless man.”

“Flan, why do you want to beat him so much?”

“My village is in his family’s territory.”

“I don’t understand.”

“They do nothing for us. But they’ll still take so much of what we grow and of what my father hunts. That’s why I need to beat him.”

“So he’s a big quarry?”

“No… I need to prove I’m stronger.”

“Is this really the right thing to be doing then?”

Before Flan can answer, they notice a young boy crying in the middle of the street. Flan stops Sion from going to him, just as Glenten stops and crouches next to the boy.

“Boy, what’s wrong?” The boy answers between sobs.

“My mom… got lost…”

“Very well then, let’s go find her.”

“If we get separated… I’m supposed to stay in place… and I’m… not supposed to follow strangers.” Glenten looks irritated at the boy, especially now that he’s too involved to leave him alone. Meanwhile Sion figures out how to help.

“Flan, stay here, I’ll find the boy’s mom.”

Sion starts rushing around through the streets looking for anyone who might be the mother. Owing to his high speed and keen observation, Sion can find a panicked woman quickly. He slows down and approaches her.

“Excuse me, miss, would you happen to be looking for your son?” The panicked woman turns towards Sion quickly. She talks fast in her panic.

“Oh, yes, he just— I let go of his hand to take some meat from the butcher and he just disappeared, and, oh, if something—” Sion cuts her off.

“Don’t worry, miss, he’s safe.”

Sion leads her back to the boy, separating from her once they get close enough. Sion quickly returns to Flan by another route that would not expose him to Glenten. When he returns, the woman is holding the boy in her arms, hugging him. Glenten smiles at her and hands her the rose.

“A rose for the lady. Please be more careful in the future.” The woman takes the flower, but otherwise does not respond. They part, and Glenten returns to his wandering, with Sion and Flan still shadowing him.

“Sion, was he… flirting with her?”

“Flirting?”

“What else could it have been?”

“What is flirting?”

“Doesn’t matter. If I mention it, do you think it might distract him?” Sion thinks for a moment, simulating the battle in his head.

“Even if he gets distracted, I don’t think you’ll win. I think he’ll still be able to close the gap too quickly.”

“So that won’t work either…”

As they skulk behind Glenten, he stops to talk to another girl he comes across. After a short interaction, they part, the girl walking in the direction of Sion and Flan. Anima is surprised when she sees Sion standing around.

“Sion? What are you doing here? Are you just… spending time with her?” Flan answers in his place.

“We’re trying to find Glenten’s weaknesses. If you need him, you can take him. I can do this on my own.”

“Ah, no, I’m fine. I was just wondering.” Sion starts talking.

“Anima, can you think of anything? Something that might be a weakness.”

“No, not really. The only thing that might be useful is that he seems kind of… fake? If that makes sense.”

“I see. I don’t know if that will help on its own, but thank you.”

“Well, good luck, I guess.” Anima walks away, and Sion and Flan return to following Glenten.

After following him for a while, Flan starts to get disheartened. She starts to think that Sion was right, and that she won’t find a way to win. Before she can call off their mission, however, Sion begins to move forward. Flan tries to stop him.

“Hold on, what if Glenten sees you?”

“Somebody needs help.”

Instantly Flan realizes that he won’t let her stop him, and she stops trying. Sion quickly makes his way across the road, picks up a handkerchief, then approaches an old woman. As he walks, Sion brushes the handkerchief with the back of his hand before folding it back up.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I think you dropped something.” The old woman turns around and takes the handkerchief in her hands.

“Oh my, it really is mine. What a sweet boy you are. Come with me and let me get you a treat.”

“No, your thanks are enough. I haven’t done anything I need a reward for, and I have other business to attend to too.”

“Is that so? Then I suppose I’ll have to let you go. Have a good day, young man.”

“You as well, ma’am.”

As the old woman begins to walk away slowly, Glenten has turned around, having heard Sion’s voice. Sion is unmistakable, and as Glenten approaches him he spots Flan as well. When Glenten reaches Sion, Sion has already returned to Flan, who holds her head having given up.

“So you two were why I’ve felt like someone is watching me all day.” He looks at Sion. “Stalking is beneath somebody of your caliber, Sion. What would even possess you to follow me in the first place?” Flan answers him, knowing there’s no point in lying now.

“I wanted to find your weakness.”

“If all you want is a rematch, then I’ll give it to you.”

Flan and Glenten face each other in the training grounds. Sion watches off to the side. As Flan begins to draw an arrow, Glenten dashes forward. He roughly pushes her to the ground with the shaft of his spear before she’s able to do anything.

“No matter what you did, you would never be able to beat me. You wasted the day doing something entirely pointless.”

Sion takes a step into the training grounds.

“Glenten, one more match.” Just from his presence, Glenten cannot refuse Sion.

Glenten readies his spear. He dashes around in short diagonal bursts, each with varying speeds, trying to throw Sion off. He dashes in and stabs at Sion. Sion turns, but not quite fast enough. The spearhead cuts into Sion’s side. The wound is not deep or dangerous, but it would give most fighters even just a moment of pause. However, Sion pushes through it. He slams his fist into Glenten’s face, forcing him to the ground in a single blow. Glenten again lays on the ground defeated.

“How could making an effort to win be pointless? Everything she’s done today will drive her strength.” Glenten holds his face as he stands up, then leaves without saying anything. Flan looks at Sion’s injury.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. But I’m not supposed to be taking hits like that.”

“Sion, I’ll meet your expectations. I’ll definitely get stronger than him. No tricks involved.”

“I see. Good luck.”

Sion leaves her in the training grounds.