No time was wasted in gathering who was needed. Richard and a warrior by the name of Cyth set out within a half an hour to contact the centaurs. As always Richard had a smile on his face at the thought of doing something worthwhile. Not long later Geoff and a Sea Elf named Lykya took to the water to head further out to sea and attempt to contact the merpeople.
Marzio and Sofia left at the same time to find the pixies. Much to AJ’s surprise, Aine chose to go with them. She kissed his cheek as she slung her pack over her shoulder. “You’re not the only one who wants to work to save the world, cousin.” She teased him. With the typical elf joy for life she followed his friends out the gate with a laugh and a wave.
Last to leave were Howie and Isleen. They stood with Brian and AJ at the front gate, waiting for the arrival of Shara, a female sun elf. The charisma of the sun elves was notorious and would aid them well in dealing with pixies and imps.
“You take care of yourself.” Isleen said suddenly, throwing her arms around both of them. “Please be safe.”
“We will.” Brian reassured her.
AJ just pulled back and looked at them as seriously as he could. “Don’t forget, we meet back here as soon as we’re done. As soon as! Out there we still have six months, but we need time together to do what’s necessary before we go. Don’t rush too much, but don’t dally either.”
With a roll of his eyes, Howie stepped forward. “Gee, Alyck, glad you reminded me. I never would have remembered on my own!”
“Shut up, smart ass.”
Shaking his head, Brian smiled past the two at Isleen. It was a smile of humor for the two boys who always had to bicker at one another. Her grin was amused. AJ and Howie continued to bicker with one another until Shara joined them. Only then did the friends drop their pretense and embraced one another. AJ whispered in Howie’s ear “Be safe.” And then they were pulling back, and he was watching the last of his friends leave.
AJ stared at the front entrance of the castle for a long moment, gathering his thoughts. So much had happened already during the day. Yet, there were still so many things they needed to do. He took a deep, calming breath, then let it back out. When he turned his eyes to Brian, he knew they were sparkling again. “All right, Bri. It’s time for us to go have fun!”
At first Brian didn’t know what he meant. But then AJ was leading him back to the back gardens again and over to the training area. That was when Brian remembered what AJ had said. They were going to practice.
AJ watched the realization dawn on Brian’s face and smiled to himself. He stepped onto the familiar ground, recognizing the shield as he passed through it. Nothing they did would leave that area. Nothing. No one else was inside with them, which AJ appreciated. A few were standing to watch, though, and most likely offer advice at a moment’s notice. Still, AJ was used to crowds, and he knew Brian was too. That didn’t faze them. He just strolled toward the center, taking his vest off as he did and tossing it to the sidelines.
Once he was in the center he turned around, looking at Brian, trying to figure out the best way to do this. One of the most important things he needed to do was teach Brian defense. Ways to stop attacks from connecting with him. “Ok, baby, you ready for all this?” he asked him with a grin.
“Ready as ever, I guess. What’re we going to do?”
“First I thought I’d teach you defense. You’re damn good with a shield, so that much we don’t have to worry. An you know your center. You need to remember more than anything else that your center is what you protect. If anyone tries to actually kill you, that’s what they’ll go for. Even if they’re not strong enough, trust me, it hurts like a son of a bitch to have someone try.”
“Howie and Marzio taught me how to shield my center.” Brian smiled at him and shrugged. “They thought it was important before I went to get you.”
Nodding, AJ processed the new information. It was going to make things even easier. “Well, hell, defense won’t take much for you then. I’ll just show you how to deflect certain things. It’s not going to be easy, Bri.” He wanted to stress this point very strongly. “We’re shielded in here, so no one else outside of the area can be hurt. But you and I will definitely manage to injure one another. Just keep in mind to stay away from my center, and don’t falter just cause I get hurt. I’ll heal. Just like I won’t falter if I hurt you. Getting a little beat up by me is preferable to dying by Roth’s hands.”
“I understand, Alex. Where do we start?”
For a second AJ tapped his foot on the ground and thought about what to do. He used his knowledge of his lover to try to help him tailor how to do the lessons. With some, words worked. With others, like himself, there was no way to teach but by demonstration. Unfortunately that meant that he’d have to attack. The thought was difficult for him to contemplate, but he knew it was a vital thing.
He gestured Brian back to one end of the training yard and he stood on the other. Raising one hand, he held a ball of water. “We’ll start basic and work our way up, Brian. What you need to do is simple. Deflect my physical attacks.”
Without any more warning than that, AJ shoved his hand forward and shot the ball at Brian. He felt a moment of pride when Brian responded instantly with a blast of air that sent the water falling like raindrops around them. But there was no time for pausing. The next jet of water he sent was long and thin, like a razor sharp slash. Brian turned the air in front of him solid, deflecting it so that the water splashed against it on impact.
AJ changed elements quickly, raising a circle of fire around Brian. His lover didn’t flinch, but used the water around them to pool in and douse the flames.
So it went, on and on. AJ started out small, sending what he could at Brian, watching him as he defended himself against them. The more that Brian grew confident in his defense, the more AJ upped the ante. They were drawing quite a crowd by now. Gasps and cheers followed their back and forth motions.
When Brian used air and water to destroy a ball of flaming earth that AJ had sent, AJ knew it was time to up the stakes again. He had no time to wonder and worry about his partner. This was important and it needed to be done. It was easy to see that Brian was getting pretty confident in himself and his abilities. This was going to be a harsh lesson, but AJ had to teach him that over confidence could be crippling.
AJ planted his feet firmer to the ground. He dropped his hands to point downward and focused his magic for a second before suddenly flinging his hands up, calling up a cocoon of earth to wrap around Brian. Into that he poured water, chilling it as he did. In just the span of a few seconds he had the water that he poured in frozen solid, and infused with spirit so that Brian couldn’t just take control of the water and move it. He dropped the shell of earth back to the ground.
Casually AJ moved forward, watching the chunk of ice that held his lover, frozen with a look of shock on his face. He wanted to wait and see if Brian would manage to figure out a way to break out of this. If it had been serious Brian would have already been injured or dead. But AJ was going to wait and let Brian learn how to defend against this.
Almost instantly AJ saw the ice against Brian’s skin start to turn to water. He nodded proudly. Fire was a smart choice. But, in that moment AJ forgot his own lesson. His confidence had brought him too close and had him with his guard down, so that when Brian suddenly used air to push against the ice, AJ barely had time to throw up a wall of air as defense. Still, one jagged piece of ice got past before his wall was in place, and it embedded itself deep in AJ’s thigh. He grunted as it stabbed into him.
Brian made to take a step forward, and AJ knew that he had to continue the lesson or else Brian was going to try and comfort him. That was what they needed to prevent. So he shoved the wall of air, using it to slam into Brian and send him flying backwards. “You’re defense is good!” AJ called out, whipping up clumps of earth on either side and flinging them at his lover. With care he melted the ice in his leg at the same time so that it could start to heal. The pain was in his mind, but far enough back that he could move around it. “Let’s see you try to be offensive. Fight back, Brian!”
No sooner had the words left AJ’s mouth than fire flew at him, long twin blades crossed almost like an X, one right after the other. Laughing, AJ took the clods of earth and formed them to match the fire, catching it and extinguishing it even as they continued to fly toward Brian.
The crowd laughed and cheered, calling out their bets to one another. AJ found himself getting into the practice. God, but his lover was a natural at this! Even as they continued to do battle, a part of AJ’s mind logged everything away. If this was how Brian naturally reacted, there wasn’t much that he needed to teach him. At least, not things that couldn’t be taught on the road.
Still, Brian did need to work on his earth. It was the one element that he hesitated to use, which wasn’t a surprise, really. Brian stuck with what came easiest, which was fire and air. That was a chink in his armor though. Once someone paid enough attention they could see that those were what Brian preferred and could plan around that.
As he’d attacked AJ had continued to press forward. Once he was close enough he did the one thing that he knew Brian wouldn’t expect. He leapt for him, knocking him to the ground and physically pinning him down. Once he had him down, he brought stone up from the earth and used it like manacles to lock down Brian’s limbs. Then he placed the palm of his hand over Brian’s chest, his heart.
“If this were Roth, you’d be dead.”
“My center’s shielded.” Brian countered him. Sweat trickled down his face from the workout they’d done, and the close proximity to fire.
“That’ll work, for the most part. But keep in mind everything that Roth’s learned. Who’s to say that he hasn’t learned a way around that, Bri? Come on, back on your feet and we’ll go again.”
Brian didn’t bother protesting. He took AJ’s hand and climbed back to his feet. There was too much at stake for them to waste any time. Through their bond, AJ felt a small tic of worry when Brian’s eyes connected with AJ’s leg, but he said nothing.
They started again, both of them on the offensive and the defensive this time. For hours they practiced together, until the night started to grow dark around them. Finally AJ called a halt to their practice. Magically exhausted, they needed to find the calm within themselves and take a break. He gestured Brian to the center and the two men sat down. It didn’t take long for Brian to realize what AJ was doing.
Through the bond they meshed together, centering with one another and grounding themselves. As a unit they meditated until they found peace. In that meditation, AJ let Brian feel his pride in him, in what he had accomplished without any training. Today had been a testing of skills, so that AJ knew what he could work with Brian on as they traveled.
Their minds were joined together, so that AJ didn’t have to speak his thoughts to have Brian know them. ‘You’re strong in all of this, Bri. You’re like I was. A natural. But we need to work on your earth magic. You tend to avoid it.’
‘It’s hard for me. I don’t seem to know what to do with something that…solid.’
AJ gave a mental chuckle. ‘That’s because you’re used to the more flexible air and fire. Those are free flowing things that move with a thought. Earth must be formed. It is a solid force. Because of that, it can be handy. That’s something we’ll practice with in our downtime.’
‘I feel anxiousness from you, the same that I feel. We shouldn’t waste time here. There’s too much to be done. Goblins, dwarves, any others. It would be better to take care of them now, and practice more when we’re back home.’
In a nutshell Brian had summed up what was necessary. AJ knew that this testing had been important, and was done safest here, but now that he knew Brian’s abilities and his limitations, he found himself chopping at the bit to leave. ‘I will let grandfather know that we wish to travel under the cover of night and start on our journey. The goblins are closest, and will be the most difficult. We’ll head there first. It’s maybe a day’s journey from here, depending on transportation.’
Slowly the two pulled out of their meditation, their bodies calm now. But they kept up the mind link, finding it easier to think this way. It required less effort on their part, for just thinking something let the other person know it. There were less explanations, and less of a margin for misinterpretation.
When their eyes cleared again and they looked around them, they saw that Flreu stood on the sidelines, the only elf still there. In his hands he had two packs. “I assume you are ready to leave, grandsons.” He said easily.
AJ shook his head and climbed to his feet. “You never fail to amaze me, grandfather. We just made the decision to leave. How did you know?”
“It is what I would do.” The answer was honest and simple. Flreu handed them each a pack when they got close. “I have put food and clothes inside of each bag. There should be enough to hold you in food until you get where you’re going, and clothes to sustain you your trip.” He opened his arms to them and the two men stepped easily into the embrace. Flreu kissed both their faces. “You are precious to me. Be safe out there. Watch over one another and come home to me.”
Flreu released them and offered them a smile. He brought Brian close, cupping his face and whispering something to him that AJ couldn’t hear. That was fine. He simply waited until they were done and were smiling at him again. Flreu let his head tip back, sending out a pulse of spirit and something else that AJ couldn’t catch. The magic disappeared into the night. One of AJ’s eyebrows quirked in question. Flreu simply smiled.
“I have two sets of gifts for the trulion before he leaves our home.” Flreu said formally. He held his hands out as an elf walked to them, carrying a baldric and a long sword. The King took them in his hands, thanking the young elf before turning back to look at AJ. In the Kings eyes was the wisdom of ages. It was enough to have AJ frozen to the spot. Flreu looked to the sword, then back up to AJ. “This has been kept safe here for longer than I have been alive. Wrought by elves in a time almost beyond remembering, it is a blade made of the strongest metal. It will never dull, nor break, even if you were to swing it against solid stone. It is but a blade, yet in the right hands, any tool may be dangerous.”
Flreu dropped down to one knee, offering the gifts above his head. “Take these, trulion, for they are yours. These are meant to belong to the one true trulion. They were made for him, to aid him in his quest. All species will see this and know what it means for all have it in their histories. Though magic is yours to call, know that magic is not always the answer to all, and is sometimes the most easily thwarted. Accept these that all who see you might know who you are.”
AJ’s mind was blank for a moment. He found himself reaching before he had even realized what he intended to do. His hand closed over the swords scabbard and it felt as if a jolt of electricity jolted up his arm. One hand grasped the hilt, pulling the sword free. It rang in the air as he did, the sound seeming to echo straight to his heart.
The blade looked simple. A scimitar, which is a curved, single edge sword that broadens slightly toward the end. It was a lighter sword, and often considered oriental in its history, though AJ knew that many elves had used these long before the human world had. It was actually AJ’s preferred sword of choice. He extended his arm, testing the weight of it, and was surprised to discover that it was perfectly balanced in his hand.
He stepped away from his grandfather and his lover, running through a few practice moves with it in his hand. Though his preference was for two, one for each hand, AJ found that this scimitar was very comfortable in his grip, and worked easily in either hand. The thought that this sword was made many a millennia ago, in a time almost beyond remembering, and yet it was his favorite style and the perfect weight…well, that was almost a little much for AJ. It forced it home that trulion was not simply a title. It was a calling.
Satisfied, he walked back over and sheathed it. He slid the baldric on, attaching the sword at his hip. With one hand on the pommel of the sword he crossed the other behind his back and gave a low bow to his now standing King. “The gift is great, Sire. I am in your debt.”
“It is we who are indebted to you, trulion. In one last way we home to assist you on your journey.” As he spoke, Flreu looked to the skies. AJ and Brian followed his gaze, waiting to see whatever it was that was coming.
Brian was the first to notice it. He gave a soft cry, pointing skyward. A second later AJ saw it, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. Above all other things, in his heart he admitted that what was coming toward him was one of the things he had missed, if not the thing he’d missed the most.
Minutes later a Pegasus by the name of Zee landed in front of them. AJ wasted no time in rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Zee’s neck. “Oh, Zee, how I missed you!” he exclaimed, running his hands over the whiteness of Zee’s coat. Bigger than the average horse, Zee had been the head of his herd, and considered dangerous by the elves. AJ had worked for a half a decade to befriend the powerful creature. Once he had, there had been none more loyal to him.
It filled AJ’s heart with joy to see that, even after his years of neglect, Zee’s eyes still shone at him, and he still nibbled at AJ’s hair as he had always done.
“He will carry you well, for he loves you and has pined for you these past years. Mount, grandson, and hurry. There is much to be done.” Flreu said behind him.
AJ spun and hugged his grandfather tightly, kissing his cheeks. “I love you, grandfather.”
“As I love you, son of my daughter. Now go. The fate of the world is resting in your hands. We shall be here, and we shall be waiting upon your return to us.”
Joy and sorrow rode side by side in AJ. Joy at seeing his beloved Zee; sorrow at having to leave his people. It had felt so good to be home. But Flreu was right. There were things that needed to be done. They couldn’t waste any time. AJ grabbed the two packs, using magic to turn the straps together and make more of saddle bags than packs. He slung that over Zee’s back, took a moment to just love on the Pegasus, and then he mounted.
He held one hand out to Brian, who was grinning up at him like a fool. With absolute trust, Brian allowed AJ to pull him up behind him. They fit together perfectly on Zee’s back. Brian fitted against AJ’s backside, his arms wrapping comfortably around his lover’s waist.
AJ took Zee’s mane into his hands, smiling down at his grandfather. There was so much to say, and yet nothing at all. Their eyes connected and love passed between them. That was enough. Without another word AJ called to Zee in the language of the elves, gave a light tug on his mane, and Zee was running, jumping, lifting them into the sky. With a few flaps of his powerful wings, he took them high into the clouds.