Aspects (1)

"If I have to run another day..." Sammy grumbled, coming into the dorm room, his hair still wet, making Elian chuckle as he also slumped down on his bed, holding an icepack against his swollen left eye.

"Want me to swap with you?"

"I... I didn't mean that way!" He answered at once, feeling worried, that he had offended Elian.

"Relax, I was joking. She has a reason why, though. Didn't you notice that you can keep it up effortlessly by now? A week has passed, and now you are running from dawn to dusk without collapsing. Unlike me, who always needs to be dragged back to the dorm!"

"Maybe..." He mumbled, throwing his towel away while dressing up in his pajamas. "Are you okay? Today, the Commander was... ruthless!"

"I'll be fine!" Elian sighed, "The moment Sakku returns, she will heal me completely. I just don't know why she called her over after the training had ended."

"Probably something to do with the war... Maybe she received some news?"

"Maybe..." Elian murmured, thinking about it, forgetting the whole war-thing from the past week of constant, intense training occupying every waking hour of his life.

Although he never joined the army and gained no combat experience back home, the previous days were surprisingly enjoyable. Even if he was constantly beaten down and thrown around like a ragdoll, he could also feel himself improving. It was a tangible effect because he always felt stronger by the next day, a bit quicker, yet whenever he thought he could dodge or counter Nika's attacks, she switched gears, forcing him to start over again by slamming him to the ground.

These back-and-forths, the simple days of waking up, eating, and training before going to sleep, were more satisfying than he would have ever imagined. He let himself sink into a comfortable rhythm and enjoy his new life, totally forgetting that he was whisked away into a different world that was suffering from... a pretty serious war for survival.

"You are incredible, Elian."

"Huh?" He asked, looking up at the top bunk, watching Sammy stick his head over its edge, looking down at him. "Why? Don't put me on a pedestal."

"I mean it. You have been matching the Princess every day! Even if she beats you, the second time she tries to pull the same move on you, you can always react to it. Yet I can't even follow her with my eyes..." He explained, sounding excited, like a kid talking to his elder brother whom he looks up to, "Today, she even manifested her Aspect, even if just partially, to get to you!"

"Oh, so that was an Aspect, huh? I thought so."

"You never saw an Aspect before?" Sammy asked, bewildered.

"I told you I was a hermit..." He chuckled, rolling his eyes, remembering what happened just a few hours ago.

True enough, they were sparring as usual, and when he managed to consistently dodge Nika's strikes, even when she was using speed she hadn't showcased before, she suddenly smiled, exploding with the roar of thunderstrike. It was not just a feeling; everyone could hear the rumble as Nika's body was surrounded by white and red lightning. Her arms got enveloped by an ethereal image of a tiger's claw as she brought it down as fast as lightning. Everything else was a mystery for Elian from then on because he lost consciousness right after, woken up by Sakku sitting on his chest, healing her.

"I only saw the afterimage of it after the explosion, and you were already on the ground... but for sure, that was her Aspect!" Sammy continued, sounding extremely excited just by talking about it. He also meant it because when Elian finally climbed back up, his imprint remained behind him, creating a human-shaped hole in the training ground. "Are you really okay? Others would have died if they had been hit by something like that."

"Yeah, I'm good. My head still hurts, and I feel my back protesting against moving, but I'll live."

"Say, Elian... You really haven't awoken your Aspect yet? Is it true?" Sammy continued asking questions, feeling close enough to Elian to not hold back his curiosity.

"No, not at all. I am not lying; I have no idea how to do that either. I have been feeling... stuffed inside lately, and I get the feeling that Princess Nika is trying to push me through some kind of limit, but so far, it hasn't happened. How much do you know about Aspects?"

"Only the same as everyone else. You know, my father had one; it was that of an ox!" He began, sounding nostalgic, "We lived in the South, working in the fields, and he managed to manifest it not long after I was born. He always told me it was because he had to provide for his family. It did give him great strength and made it much easier to work!" He explained, sounding genuinely proud of his father, which made Elian smile and happy to listen to Sammy's story.

"So it just... popped up one day?"

"Um... I think? I never really asked him about it. But he could lift and drag around really heavy things; he was super strong!"

"I bet he could have lifted me with one hand, huh?"

"Yeah..." Sammy murmured, his smile slowly faltering, and continued in a less excited tone, causing Elina's grin to gradually disappear. "When our farm was attacked, he fought back against them. They were surprised he had an Aspect. But even with one, that means nothing in front of actual warriors. Especially when finally one with an Aspect appeared..."

"Didn't Nika say we have only a handful left?"

"Of those who are trained to use their Aspects." Sammy continued, answering calmly, but his tone still carried his sudden melancholy, "Not every one of them is meant for battle, and Knights not only awaken their Aspects, but they learn to train it, make it stronger. My Father's Aspect was good enough to work the fields and buy time for my mom and me to escape, but not to... defeat them. When I awaken mine, I will train it... I will become a proper Knight!"

"About your mom..." Elian slowly asked, and Sammy answered without needing further clarification.

"We were pursued... She told me to run while she drew them away. Maybe if I had the strength to run as much as I do now... I could have saved her." With that, his face disappeared from view, making Elian sigh.

"Sorry..." He whispered.

"It's alright... Really..." Sammy answered, although his voice was no longer excited... at all.

"So, Aspects are not just for soldiers, but those that could be used for war and could be trained are rare... I will need to interrogate Sakku because I have been making a fool out of myself constantly." He said to himself, his thoughts diverting towards where the litter furball may be at the moment.

...

....

......

"Sakku, I am not interrogating you," Nika expressed, sitting in her office with Sakku after they had both had dinner.

"I know..." She mumbled, avoiding eye contact with her as she had been throughout the whole meal, while the Princess was trying to ask her about Elian. Where did she find him? How did he get here? How long since she had known him? Where are the other ryuins? It was clearly an interrogation, yet it was conducted in a way that made Sakku feel as though she wasn't being forced to answer, and Nika also didn't push her too hard. It was masqueraded as just idle chatter while eating.

"Look, you must understand, as the Princess of Susaria, the one who will follow my father on the throne soon enough, I must ensure we are safe! We can't-" She tried to be more direct, seeing the previous approach had no effect.

"He is not like Dalen!" Sakku exclaimed, making Nika's eyes flash, gaining more out of that single yell than anything from before, and without Sakku actually realizing it. "Wait... what do you mean? Is there something wrong with the King?!"

"He has been sick since my mother died. He does not have much time left." Nika explained calmly, happy that Sakku missed her own blunder. The way she was telling about it to the little pink furball, though, was the same as someone who had already come to terms with the inevitable and was done with her goodbyes.

"But, but, but, we checked him, and he looked fine!" She stuttered, remembering that after she and the last of the ryuins were given refuge within the innermost circle of the city, they stayed with the King for a long time. He was... fine.

"Some illnesses are not visible on the body, and they can't be healed by magic." Nika answered her, shaking her head, "Where are the rest of you? Can you tell me that, at least? All of you disappeared, and if not for us suppressing the news, it could have caused a panic within the army itself! You know you are being hunted... If a rumor starts that the bastard managed to kill you within the city... It would have been devastating. Only I and my inner circle know that it happened... for now."

"They... are gone," she said with great difficulty, looking down at the floor, which made Nika tense up and freeze for a moment. She did not expect that answer, but now everything she had suspected before became as clear as day. She was almost sure what they had done... and what price they paid for it...

"I... I'm... sorry..." Nika stuttered, and Sakku simply nodded, afraid to raise her head and not wanting to meet the Princess's eyes. "You summoned a Hero..." she thought, almost saying it out loud, holding it back at the last moment. "That is why you all disappeared! You went and made a ritual, risking it all... You stupid little furballs... Now you finished what Dalen started while giving us one last hope..."