Vol. II Chapter V: New Companions and a Mission

Training continued, and little by little, Lucius and Melissa began to show signs of progress.

At last, Melissa managed to catch Tagunel off guard. 

At just the right moment, she knocked the vial from his hand with a sharp kick of her hooves before he could cast his spell.

Meanwhile, Lucius succeeded in landing a hit on Liviana’s arm with a sudden lunge. 

He’d noticed a pattern in her attacks and reacted in a flash, Liviana regarded him with her gleaming, catlike eyes.

“Not bad,” she purred, wiping a small scratch from her arm.

But before Lucius could even catch his breath, she was suddenly right up against him again, pressed her lithe body against his and toppled him into the sand.

“But you still have to learn how to use your advantage… instead of just standing there,” she murmured into his ear, her warm breath brushing against his skin.

Lucius blushed. 

Why do I keep getting attacked like this?

From the side, Melissa burst in, voice blazing. 

“Hey! Hands off him, you mouse-chasing wannabe tiger!”

Liviana laughed, released him, and instead plopped herself boldly down on his hips, licking her paws with slow, exaggerated motions.

Melissa stamped her hoof. 

“Off of him, kitty! Or I’ll give you something to remember!”

“Try it, little goat!” Liviana shot back, her eyes suddenly cold as ice.

Before the two could lunge at each other, Marcthain’s booming voice cut through the air.

“That’s enough, you two!” he barked, and Liviana finally climbed off Lucius.

When calm had returned, Marcthain told them that training was finished for the day.

“You didn’t do half bad,” he grumbled eventually, pressing a small leather pouch into Lucius’s hand. 

“Your pay. Can’t have you getting too used to room service every day…”

Melissa instantly snatched the pouch away and weighed it in her palm. 

“How many bottles of wine do you think this’ll get us?”

She hooked her arm possessively through Lucius’s and shot Liviana a look that clearly said: 

Mine

“Come on, Lucius. Let’s go have a little fun in Rivora tonight!”

Lucius was just about to nod when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

“Not you,” Marcthain said firmly.

Lucius turned slowly to face him, swallowing hard. 

Why does this always happen to me?

Marcthain fixed him with a stern stare. 

“Aelmir is waiting for you. You’ve got a lot to catch up on. We’ll see you back here first thing in the morning.”

Melissa looked at him, disappointed. 

“And what about me?”

But Liviana jumped in, giggling, eyes sparkling.

“Why don’t you come with us, Fawny? Tagunel and I were planning to check if that guy with the fried cheese skewers is back at the market.”

Melissa blinked, still a little angry, but the words cheese skewers made her ears twitch.

“Fried… cheese skewers…?”

“Spicy, crispy, absolutely delicious,” purred Liviana. 

“And I heard there’s a new tavern nearby. I haven’t tried the ale yet, but they say it’s dark and smooth.”

Melissa hesitated, weighing whether she was still angry. 

But finally, she decided nothing was worth giving up food and beer.

“You speak my language, kitty,” she said with a grin.

She gave Lucius a pat on the chest. 

“Well then, have fun with your studying. We’ll see you later!”

Lucius let his shoulders sag. 

“Hey, wait a minute!” he called after them, but it was no use.

While he was stuck practicing spells late into the night with Aelmir at the Sanctum, Melissa, Liviana, and Tagunel wandered through the bustling village.

They sampled cheese skewers, ale, and all sorts of other treats and browsed the market stalls together.

At one stall, Liviana reflexively caught a glass that slipped from a merchant’s hand.

“Wow, you’re pretty quick for a waitress,” Melissa said, impressed.

Liviana shrugged. 

“I’m from a village in the south. Everyone there was quick.”

Melissa lifted an eyebrow. 

“Was?”

Liviana stopped walking, her gaze clouded over, and her ears drooped slightly.

“I’m the only one left…” 

Her voice dropped to a quiet murmur. 

“Yashari slave traders.”

For a moment, silence hung between them.

Then Liviana raised her head again, her eyes suddenly filled with fierce resolve.

“Mar saved me. Since then… this is my home.” 

She looked straight at Melissa. 

“That’s why I think it’s amazing that you’re helping us. Lots of people hide from the threat coming from Yashar, or pretend it’s not real. But you’re different. You’re fighting for the right thing.”

Melissa didn’t know what to say. 

After all, they were only involved because Marcthain had blackmailed them into it. 

And yet, something stirred inside her chest at Liviana’s words.

Then Liviana clapped her lightly on the shoulder.

“We Selvarin have to stick together.”

“I’m not a...” 

Melissa started to protest, but the words died on her tongue.

Because in Liviana’s eyes, she saw determination and hope shining back at her, and felt something she’d never felt before.

Finally, she grinned and gave Liviana a firm nod. 

“Yeah. Let’s stick together.”

But soon, they steered the conversation to other things.

“Look over there!” Liviana called out, pointing to a stall where jewelry sparkled in every shape and color.

Rings, necklaces, brooches glittered under the lantern light. 

Liviana’s eyes shone as she gave her own earring a playful tap.

“I’ve been wanting to treat myself to something nice for ages!” she exclaimed, rummaging excitedly through the display. 

Finally, she picked out a slender silver bracelet.

“Looks great, doesn’t it?” she asked.

Even Tagunel, usually the quiet companion, perked up when his eyes fell on an intricately crafted green brooch shaped like a leaf.

“That looks exactly like the jewelry from my homeland…” he murmured softly.

But before he could say anything more, Liviana snatched up the brooch and started fussing with his cloak.

“Come on, let’s see how it looks on you!” she cried cheerfully.

And a moment later, when Tagunel was admiring himself with a pleased smile in the merchant’s mirror, the purchase was already settled.

Only Melissa stood hesitantly in front of the stall, not touching a thing.

“Isn’t there anything you like?” Tagunel finally asked.

Melissa shrugged.

“I’m not really into jewelry… or fancy clothes…”

Liviana and Tagunel exchanged a questioning glance, but then Liviana noticed that Melissa kept glancing at a particular golden ring with a small blue gem set in the center.

“Do you like that ring?” Liviana asked curiously.

Melissa blinked, as if snapping out of some distant thought. 

Her voice suddenly sounded unusually soft.

“…No promises, no vows…” she murmured, as though remembering something long forgotten.

“Try it on!” Liviana suggested.

But the merchant interrupted. 

“I’m sorry, my lady, but that’s a man’s ring. It’s likely far too big for you.”

Melissa stared at the ring for another moment.

Maybe it won’t fit me… but maybe…

Then she lifted her chin.

“I’ll take it!” she declared suddenly.

But as she counted her coins, she had to sigh in disappointment when she realized it wasn’t enough.

On their way back, Liviana asked casually:

“So what did you even want with that ring?”

Melissa suddenly flashed a mischievous grin.

“Well, I thought it might’ve looked pretty good on my tail!”

Liviana stared at her for a second, then burst into laughter.

Later that evening, after they parted ways, Melissa returned to the room to find Lucius already fast asleep, gently snoring under the covers.

She carefully crawled under the blanket beside him and for a brief moment, she simply lay there, gazing at him.

“Husband…” she whispered so quietly it was barely audible.

Then her eyes fluttered shut, and she, too, drifted off to sleep.

The next day, their training continued much as before.

Until the afternoon, they practiced on the barracks’ training ground under Marcthain’s watchful eye. 

After that, Lucius spent long hours with Aelmir, drilling spell formulas and studying the theory of Essence magic late into the evening.

By now, Marcthain was mixing things up during the morning sessions, even switching the teams around.

So it happened that this time, Lucius and Tagunel found themselves paired together, facing off against Melissa and Liviana. And finally, Lucius was given a few vials of Essence to practice with.

“Hey, these bottles are barely filled!” Lucius complained, holding one up to the light.

Marcthain crossed his arms, unimpressed. 

“First, I don’t want too many people finding out the full extent of your magical potential. And second, it’s pointless if you blow up your team, and half the training ground, in the process. The amount is perfectly adequate for now.”

Melissa grinned wickedly as she lined up beside Liviana.

“Who’d have thought I’d get to sink my claws into you in broad daylight?” she teased.

Lucius turned bright red and hastily pressed a finger to his lips, signaling her to keep it down.

“This won’t take long,” Liviana quipped to Melissa, who laughed in agreement.

Lucius turned anxiously to Tagunel. 

“So… what’s the plan?”

Tagunel looked focused and calm. 

“When you’re up against fast and strong opponents, the most important thing is to keep them at a distance. And no matter how chaotic it gets, never forget to pronounce your spells correctly, or they’ll get you.”

Lucius nodded determinedly. 

“Alright… let’s keep them off us first!”

And with that, the sparring match began.

As Melissa turned into her beastform, the two fierce women launched their attack from opposite sides, forcing Lucius and Tagunel to stand back-to-back to cover each other.

Lucius felt his heart hammering in his chest as he frantically tried to decide which spell to cast. 

His fingers fumbled along the vials strapped to his belt.

Melissa was already almost upon him when he finally gulped down a dose of Essence.

“Ventha!” he shouted, and a gust of wind burst forward.

It wasn’t as powerful as the one in Aelmir’s sanctum, but still strong enough to blow Melissa, who was bracing herself with all her strength, back to where she’d started.

“Well, at least all that studying paid off!” she called out.

“Glaciorath!” yelled Tagunel, hurling a vial of shimmering blue Essence at the ground in front of them.

The liquid spread rapidly, freezing the ground into a slick sheet of ice. 

Liviana, charging forward, slipped and skidded wildly, her claws scraping for purchase.

“Ah, damn it!” she cursed.

Tagunel shot Lucius an approving nod. 

The training continued like this for quite some time until, at last, they found themselves slumped together during the midday break, utterly exhausted.

Sweat streamed down their faces, their clothes clung to their bodies, and all four of them hungrily spooned steaming stew from their bowls.

Then Marcthain cleared his throat, his expression turning serious.

“All right. You’re still here, and none of you have tried to run off. And I’ve been able to confirm that you’re not spies. I think it’s time you knew the truth.”

Melissa and Lucius, who had been busy scooping up spoonfuls of soup, froze mid-motion and stared at him.

“I’ve already told you that Yashar is likely planning an attack. Well… it seems that attack isn’t far off anymore.”

They listened intently as Marcthain continued.

“My scouts have discovered that, in a few days, the leaders of the Yashari tribes will meet in Sahzarun. There, they intend to finalize their plans for the coming raid.”

He paused, letting his gaze sweep slowly across the group.

“Your mission will be to infiltrate that meeting, gather evidence, and bring it safely back here to Rivora. Secrecy and caution are absolutely critical. If your cover is blown…” his voice dropped, nearly toneless “…no one will come to rescue you. And Tiberun will deny any involvement. I… didn’t want to keep that from you.”

In that last sentence, there was an unfamiliar note of sorrow in Marcthain’s usually hard voice, as if he were speaking from bitter personal experience.

Lucius stared into his soup, lost in thought. 

Only now did he truly grasp how dangerous this new world was.

Melissa, on the other hand, clenched her fists. 

“Fine. Then we’ll just make sure they don’t catch us.”

Marcthain gave a short nod, visibly relieved by her fighting spirit.

“You’ll get the details in time. For today… training is over.”

He rose to his feet, smoothed his chainmail, and gave them one last, searching look.

“Eat up. You’re going to need every bit of strength you have.”

And with that, he left them there.

Lucius glanced over at Melissa, who was dunking a piece of bread into her soup. 

Despite everything, there was a fiery glint in her eyes, wild and determined.

She and Liviana exchanged a knowing nod.

Since when are those two getting along so well?  Lucius wondered.

And as the midday sun blazed overhead, none of them could guess that in the shadows of Sahzarun, fate was already waiting to test them all.