Chapter 8
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The memory of my first visit to the Fayne was like a splash of cold water on my face. Incidentally, splashing water on my tired face was exactly what I was doing after I got up from bed the day after Luca and I conquered the top of the hill.
What? Did you think I would tell you about the past three weeks in one go? Hah, no such luck for you. But don't worry, those moments will be told when they become relevant to the tale. Now, where was I?
Yes, I was freshening up for another day in the human realm. Summer break was over and sophomore year had restarted for me, Arah, and Ty.
Aunt Lena was at my door after I walked out of the bathroom in the crisp white shirt and grey pants that were my school uniform. She had a tray of tuna melt sandwiches in one hand and a glass of apple juice in the other.
"Long night?" she asked as if she guessed at the truth.
"Yeah... nightmare kept me up," I answered.
This was a half-truth. Fighting in a battlefield really was akin to a nightmare except that death in the Fayne would have meant death in Mudgard too. Even if I resolved not to lie to my aunt unless absolutely necessary, I didn't want to worry her either.
"Well, don't overwork yourself, kid," she said before passing me the tray. "At least eat before you go."
The tuna melt was delicious. I gobbled it up just as Ty arrived to pick me up in his Camaro.
Yeah, his muscle car didn't really suit him but his dad, still hoping his son would become more adventurous, bought him the two-door sports car wishing it would have an effect. It really didn't. Ty barely used it as he preferred taking the bus alongside us mere mortals who didn't have multi-millionaire parents. Going to school was the only time he ever drove his car.
I got in, we high-fived and fist-bumped, and then we drove out of my driveway to three blocks away and into Arah's cul-de-sac. She was waiting for us outside the door of her ultra-modern home designed by her architect mom and built by her engineer dad.
"You're two minutes late, boys," she said as she squeezed herself into the back seat behind me. "My mom was driving me nuts over beating you for the top spot on the academic ranking this year, Dean."
"You're welcome to it," I said.
"Don't get smug with me, Dapper. I'll outrank you soon enough," she said, laughing.
I was actually certain she would. After all, not only was I lacking sleep, my night job wouldn't leave me much room for studying.
Ty was fiddling with the radio dial when Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol began to play.
"Keep it there," Arah and I said together. We all sang along to it.
It was a fun ride to school, and I needed these moments with my two best friends because whenever I felt down and defeated in that other world, moments like this one always helped pick me up from the floor. They kept me alive more than any potion of healing could.
The first day back in high school ended in a blur that I barely remember. One thing of note was how no one had forgotten Luca. Students decorated his locker room into a kind of shrine. They posted photos of him on the locker's metal surface. Flowers littered the floor beneath it.
After Ty dropped me off at my house that afternoon, he and Arah offered to hang out, but I told them I was tired and didn't have the energy. This prompted them to exchange looks, something they've been doing a lot recently. The reason for these veiled glances was obvious. They were both worried about me, which Arah explained a moment later.
I gave her the sunniest smile I could manage under her scrutiny and told them both that I was fine. Then I got out of the car before either of them could say more and walked into my house without looking back. I waited just inside the door to hear Ty's car drive away before I sojourned into the kitchen for food.
Aunt Lena left me a note on the fridge saying she would be late getting home because she was going on a date with her new girlfriend.
I smiled. "Cool, at least someone in this house is getting some action."
This made me think of Aura and her otherworldly beauty. But I pushed the thought of her aside and grabbed the leftover tuna melt from the fridge. I took it with me as I walked up the familiar stairs.
Once I was back inside my room, I trotted over to the window and took a peek through the curtains. Ty's blue Camaro was parked at the end of the street.
I first noticed them last week after I declined another meet up by claiming I was going to sleep early. They didn't believe me and thought I was sneaking away someplace. They were only half right.
I sat on my bed, reminding myself to spend more time with them just so they would stop staking out my house. After all, I couldn't get annoyed as they were just worried for me.
After I finished my sandwich, I went into the adjoining bathroom to do my business. By the time I left it, the sun had finally set. It was time.
"Here we go again," I said to no one in particular while I lay down on my mattress. "I wonder if Luca followed my instructions... I hope he did."
My eyes had barely closed when I felt it. The tug of the other side calling me, and as I drifted off to sleep, I felt the gust of wind lift me up-up-up, past my ceiling, past my house, and straight up into the sky.
The threshold between the two realms was like falling into a pool of ice-cold water, and it was something I could never get used to no matter how many times I went through it. Imagine soaring up to that ceiling in the sky, touching it, and then falling immediately afterward, down into wherever it was you were last before you excited the Fayne. It was a very jarring experience.
When consciousness returned to me, I found myself in the middle of chaos. Soldiers in the same midnight blue leather vest as me were moving around in every direction, no doubt marching to the orders barked by the big-headed, willowy figure standing atop a huge chunk of white stone a little ways above me.
"Get your shitty heads in gear, you reprobates," Commander Roselle barked. "I want all defenses on this hill manned in five minutes!"
"I guess Luca managed fine," I said to myself as I got up from the ground.
I was in the same spot I was in before I disappeared back into the human world. At the hilltop, south of the formations of circle stones Roselle was now using as his personal platform. The bodies of the two dead hobgoblin guards were missing, as was that of the enemy commander. It seemed I missed out on claiming spoils.
Above me, the golden moon of the Fayne was nowhere in sight. Instead, the night sky was a dark canvas of nimbus clouds that signaled the coming of impending rainfall. A little ways below me, the surviving soldiers of my unit were gathering to occupy the defensive fortifications of wooden fences left behind by the enemy. Further down, the remnant of the Magesong clan's soldiers gathered around the bottom of the hill. It seemed our forces had changed positions from the night before.
I took all of this in while Roselle barked orders that I thought didn't really match the situation we were in. There was no need to occupy all the hill's defenses, just the ones near the top.
"Well, did you formulate a plan in the time you were staring off into space?" said a soft female voice that was like honey being poured into my ears.
I looked behind me to the she-elf standing a yard away.
"Yo!" I said, in greeting.
Aura had her arms crossed.
"You left me behind with the unit," she accused. "While you and Luca risked your lives to secure the hilltop."
The blue eyes behind the golden half-mask that covered her face narrowed.
The name change and haircut weren't enough. Aura was still instantly recognizable by anyone in the Trickster Pavilion. So, she opted for a mask that covered the upper half of her face to just below the bridge of her nose. It was golden in design and had intricate patterns surrounding the eye holes similar to a masquerade mask. Over her golden hair, she wore a wide hood that was attached to the midnight blue cloak draped across her shoulders. Her armor was the same leather as mine but newer and cleaner. Only the supple, brown boots she wore showed any signs of wear.
I sighed. "The plan was a little too risky. I left you behind in case it ended in failure."
"It obviously didn't," she gestured to where we were. "I could have helped."
I walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Believe me, you'll get your chance tonight."
I glanced back down the hill where the enemy was gathering. Somehow, their size had tripled compared to the night before.
"There's more than one Century down there," I noted.
Anyone not familiar with fairy military jargon wouldn't know that a Century was the official designation for a one-hundred-man unit, but Aura knew what I meant as she nodded in agreement.
"There are at least three Centuries down there," she said.
"Damn... that's not good," I said while she and I walked toward our own commander. "Do we know who's leading their reinforcements?"
"It's Azuma," Aura answered.
I stopped walking and swiveled my head to look at her. "Seriously? Are you sure?"
"The scouts saw him arrive ten minutes before you did," she answered.
"They must have a port-anchor ready for him so he can arrive wherever he's needed," I scowled. "Must be nice. I hear those help soften the landing... Why don't you get me one?"
"Sadly, you're not renowned enough for me to spend that much gold on you yet," she laughed lightly.
"Geez, if we're fighting Azuma... then this will be a long night," I said.
"Aura nodded her head. "Luca said the same thing."
"Where is he?" I asked.
At the same time as I cast my eyes around for my little brother, I saw a willowy figure hovering over Aura and me, his gossamer wings flapping soundlessly behind him.
Commander Roselle landed in front of us, and in a single breath, proceeded to reprimand me for disobeying his orders despite my disobedience being the cause for our winning the field last night.
I wasn't much-paying attention as he'd lectured me one too many times in the three weeks since I joined his unit. Even words like "punishment" and "demotion" didn't really scare me as I was under the protection of the clan princess, and Roselle knew as much. This, however, didn't stop him from wanting to intimidate me every chance he got.
"What have you got to say for yourself, Dapper?" he asked.
"Apologies, sir!" I said, placatingly. "As the unit's strategist, I saw an opportunity to assist in your conquest of this hill and I proceeded to achieve it in haste."
Roselle's slanted eyes, one red iris on the left and one grey iris on the right, glared at me.
"Are you lying to me, human?" he asked through thin lips.
"No sir," I answered, quickly.
Roselle, like most fairies, can be vindictive when affronted. That would be an extra hassle I didn't need in this conflict as I needed him to listen to my advice.
His chest, hidden behind the chain-mail he wore, puffed slightly. "Good, good... Just as long as you know who's in charge... Mr. Strategist."
He obviously meant it as a taunt. Roselle hated that the clan's leadership saddled me onto him which made him hate me twice as much as anybody else.
"About that," I rubbed my hands together like a seedy salesman about to make a deal. "I understand the commander's brilliant strategy to deploy our forces throughout the hillside, but as we're short on soldiers, might I suggest we localize our efforts to only the upper half?"
Roselle raised a bushy eyebrow at me. "You would let those Magesong bastards charge up the hill without resistance despite the trouble they gave us yesterday?"
"Despite their efforts, they still lost the hill to you, sir," I reminded him.
"Humph... that she-elf you defeated. She wasn't much was she?" he asked, derisively.
"No, sir. She was nothing like you," I agreed while barfing in my mind.
Roselle wasted another minute thinking about my advice, and then, "Fine... have the soldiers defend the upper half of the hill."
As Roselle readied his wings for flight, I suggested one last thing to him.
"Shouldn't we send for reinforcements, sir?" I asked.
Roselle glanced at me. "Reinforcements will arrive before dawn. We are to hold the hilltop until they do."
This was a lie, of course. Roselle would never share the glory. Neither would he ever admit that he needed help.
"You will take charge of the front defenses. I'll be..." he glanced back at the ring of white stones. "I'll be leading from the rear."
I glanced at Aura and winked before I bowed my head to Roselle.
She rolled her eye in response.
"You can be useful to me, Dapper, if you remember who's in charge," Roselle said, pompously. "Not like your brother... too insolent."
At his mention of Luca, my head rose so we were eye level. "Sir?"
"He kept nagging at me to climb the hilltop. Said you and he already took it for us. Annoyed me so much I almost had my guards beat some sense into him," Roselle spoke disinterestedly, not even noticing the murderous look I was sending him.
"If it wasn't for Aura and that Edo…" Roselle reflexively shivered at the mention of Edo, Aura's half-ogre bodyguard. "I'd have had my guards cut off Luca's tongue."
My hand wrapped around my falchion's sword hilt but Aura grabbed onto my arm. She shook her head and mouthed that Luca was fine.
Roselle who had turned around while feeling self-important as he usually did was too thick-skinned to notice our silent exchange.
"Follow my orders, Dapper!" he barked before he flew off.
We watched him glide past the ring of white stones to what lay hidden behind them before I turned to Aura and thanked her for protecting Luca from our idiot commander. Although I was still worried about him and asked her where he was.
"I sent him and Edo to scout our enemy to keep him away from Roselle," Aura explained.
After a moment, I sighed in relief. The tension in me unknotted.
"Thanks again," I said.
Aura gazed at me with soft eyes.
"We're partners. I watch over your interests the same way you deal with mine," she answered.
"All right," I slapped my cheeks with the palms of my fist to psych myself up. "Do we still have any sprites to send out?"
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Aura nodded. "You want me to send a sprite messenger to call for reinforcements?"
It seemed she understood the situation as well as I did.
"It'll take them half the night to arrive if they come from Fort Darah. We'll have to hold out until then…" I said.
"Against Azuma?" Aura looked skeptical.
"Yeah, well… It's my job to figure that out. It's why you hired me," I said, jokingly.
Aura laughed. Then she saluted me and hurried off down the hill. She wasn't one to idle around.
As I watched her retreating form, my eyes were distracted by something further down, to our enemies and the lone figure standing in front of their army.
At this distance, I could just make out the long, unkempt hair billowing in the wind alongside the grey cloak he wore. His black armor gleamed despite the lack of light. So did his spear.
Azuma, a visere renowned for his offensive strength, would be my opponent tonight. It was time to get psyched up.
"Ready player one," I said.
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The memory of my first visit to the Fayne was like a splash of cold water on my face. Incidentally, splashing water on my tired face was exactly what I was doing after I got up from bed the day after Luca and I conquered the top of the hill.
What? Did you think I would tell you about the past three weeks in one go? Hah, no such luck for you. But don't worry, those moments will be told when they become relevant to the tale. Now, where was I?
Yes, I was freshening up for another day in the human realm. Summer break was over and sophomore year had restarted for me, Arah, and Ty.
Aunt Lena was at my door after I walked out of the bathroom in the crisp white shirt and grey pants that were my school uniform. She had a tray of tuna melt sandwiches in one hand and a glass of apple juice in the other.
"Long night?" she asked as if she guessed at the truth.
"Yeah... nightmare kept me up," I answered.
This was a half-truth. Fighting in a battlefield really was akin to a nightmare except that death in the Fayne would have meant death in Mudgard too. Even if I resolved not to lie to my aunt unless absolutely necessary, I didn't want to worry her either.
"Well, don't overwork yourself, kid," she said before passing me the tray. "At least eat before you go."
The tuna melt was delicious. I gobbled it up just as Ty arrived to pick me up in his Camaro.
Yeah, his muscle car didn't really suit him but his dad, still hoping his son would become more adventurous, bought him the two-door sports car wishing it would have an effect. It really didn't. Ty barely used it as he preferred taking the bus alongside us mere mortals who didn't have multi-millionaire parents. Going to school was the only time he ever drove his car.
I got in, we high-fived and fist-bumped, and then we drove out of my driveway to three blocks away and into Arah's cul-de-sac. She was waiting for us outside the door of her ultra-modern home designed by her architect mom and built by her engineer dad.
"You're two minutes late, boys," she said as she squeezed herself into the back seat behind me. "My mom was driving me nuts over beating you for the top spot on the academic ranking this year, Dean."
"You're welcome to it," I said.
"Don't get smug with me, Dapper. I'll outrank you soon enough," she said, laughing.
I was actually certain she would. After all, not only was I lacking sleep, my night job wouldn't leave me much room for studying.
Ty was fiddling with the radio dial when Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol began to play.
"Keep it there," Arah and I said together. We all sang along to it.
It was a fun ride to school, and I needed these moments with my two best friends because whenever I felt down and defeated in that other world, moments like this one always helped pick me up from the floor. They kept me alive more than any potion of healing could.
The first day back in high school ended in a blur that I barely remember. One thing of note was how no one had forgotten Luca. Students decorated his locker room into a kind of shrine. They posted photos of him on the locker's metal surface. Flowers littered the floor beneath it.
After Ty dropped me off at my house that afternoon, he and Arah offered to hang out, but I told them I was tired and didn't have the energy. This prompted them to exchange looks, something they've been doing a lot recently. The reason for these veiled glances was obvious. They were both worried about me, which Arah explained a moment later.
I gave her the sunniest smile I could manage under her scrutiny and told them both that I was fine. Then I got out of the car before either of them could say more and walked into my house without looking back. I waited just inside the door to hear Ty's car drive away before I sojourned into the kitchen for food.
Aunt Lena left me a note on the fridge saying she would be late getting home because she was going on a date with her new girlfriend.
I smiled. "Cool, at least someone in this house is getting some action."
This made me think of Aura and her otherworldly beauty. But I pushed the thought of her aside and grabbed the leftover tuna melt from the fridge. I took it with me as I walked up the familiar stairs.
Once I was back inside my room, I trotted over to the window and took a peek through the curtains. Ty's blue Camaro was parked at the end of the street.
I first noticed them last week after I declined another meet up by claiming I was going to sleep early. They didn't believe me and thought I was sneaking away someplace. They were only half right.
I sat on my bed, reminding myself to spend more time with them just so they would stop staking out my house. After all, I couldn't get annoyed as they were just worried for me.
After I finished my sandwich, I went into the adjoining bathroom to do my business. By the time I left it, the sun had finally set. It was time.
"Here we go again," I said to no one in particular while I lay down on my mattress. "I wonder if Luca followed my instructions... I hope he did."
My eyes had barely closed when I felt it. The tug of the other side calling me, and as I drifted off to sleep, I felt the gust of wind lift me up-up-up, past my ceiling, past my house, and straight up into the sky.
The threshold between the two realms was like falling into a pool of ice-cold water, and it was something I could never get used to no matter how many times I went through it. Imagine soaring up to that ceiling in the sky, touching it, and then falling immediately afterward, down into wherever it was you were last before you excited the Fayne. It was a very jarring experience.
When consciousness returned to me, I found myself in the middle of chaos. Soldiers in the same midnight blue leather vest as me were moving around in every direction, no doubt marching to the orders barked by the big-headed, willowy figure standing atop a huge chunk of white stone a little ways above me.
"Get your shitty heads in gear, you reprobates," Commander Roselle barked. "I want all defenses on this hill manned in five minutes!"
"I guess Luca managed fine," I said to myself as I got up from the ground.
I was in the same spot I was in before I disappeared back into the human world. At the hilltop, south of the formations of circle stones Roselle was now using as his personal platform. The bodies of the two dead hobgoblin guards were missing, as was that of the enemy commander. It seemed I missed out on claiming spoils.
Above me, the golden moon of the Fayne was nowhere in sight. Instead, the night sky was a dark canvas of nimbus clouds that signaled the coming of impending rainfall. A little ways below me, the surviving soldiers of my unit were gathering to occupy the defensive fortifications of wooden fences left behind by the enemy. Further down, the remnant of the Magesong clan's soldiers gathered around the bottom of the hill. It seemed our forces had changed positions from the night before.
I took all of this in while Roselle barked orders that I thought didn't really match the situation we were in. There was no need to occupy all the hill's defenses, just the ones near the top.
"Well, did you formulate a plan in the time you were staring off into space?" said a soft female voice that was like honey being poured into my ears.
I looked behind me to the she-elf standing a yard away.
"Yo!" I said, in greeting.
Aura had her arms crossed.
"You left me behind with the unit," she accused. "While you and Luca risked your lives to secure the hilltop."
The blue eyes behind the golden half-mask that covered her face narrowed.
The name change and haircut weren't enough. Aura was still instantly recognizable by anyone in the Trickster Pavilion. So, she opted for a mask that covered the upper half of her face to just below the bridge of her nose. It was golden in design and had intricate patterns surrounding the eye holes similar to a masquerade mask. Over her golden hair, she wore a wide hood that was attached to the midnight blue cloak draped across her shoulders. Her armor was the same leather as mine but newer and cleaner. Only the supple, brown boots she wore showed any signs of wear.
I sighed. "The plan was a little too risky. I left you behind in case it ended in failure."
"It obviously didn't," she gestured to where we were. "I could have helped."
I walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Believe me, you'll get your chance tonight."
I glanced back down the hill where the enemy was gathering. Somehow, their size had tripled compared to the night before.
"There's more than one Century down there," I noted.
Anyone not familiar with fairy military jargon wouldn't know that a Century was the official designation for a one-hundred-man unit, but Aura knew what I meant as she nodded in agreement.
"There are at least three Centuries down there," she said.
"Damn... that's not good," I said while she and I walked toward our own commander. "Do we know who's leading their reinforcements?"
"It's Azuma," Aura answered.
I stopped walking and swiveled my head to look at her. "Seriously? Are you sure?"
"The scouts saw him arrive ten minutes before you did," she answered.
"They must have a port-anchor ready for him so he can arrive wherever he's needed," I scowled. "Must be nice. I hear those help soften the landing... Why don't you get me one?"
"Sadly, you're not renowned enough for me to spend that much gold on you yet," she laughed lightly.
"Geez, if we're fighting Azuma... then this will be a long night," I said.
"Aura nodded her head. "Luca said the same thing."
"Where is he?" I asked.
At the same time as I cast my eyes around for my little brother, I saw a willowy figure hovering over Aura and me, his gossamer wings flapping soundlessly behind him.
Commander Roselle landed in front of us, and in a single breath, proceeded to reprimand me for disobeying his orders despite my disobedience being the cause for our winning the field last night.
I wasn't much-paying attention as he'd lectured me one too many times in the three weeks since I joined his unit. Even words like "punishment" and "demotion" didn't really scare me as I was under the protection of the clan princess, and Roselle knew as much. This, however, didn't stop him from wanting to intimidate me every chance he got.
"What have you got to say for yourself, Dapper?" he asked.
"Apologies, sir!" I said, placatingly. "As the unit's strategist, I saw an opportunity to assist in your conquest of this hill and I proceeded to achieve it in haste."
Roselle's slanted eyes, one red iris on the left and one grey iris on the right, glared at me.
"Are you lying to me, human?" he asked through thin lips.
"No sir," I answered, quickly.
Roselle, like most fairies, can be vindictive when affronted. That would be an extra hassle I didn't need in this conflict as I needed him to listen to my advice.
His chest, hidden behind the chain-mail he wore, puffed slightly. "Good, good... Just as long as you know who's in charge... Mr. Strategist."
He obviously meant it as a taunt. Roselle hated that the clan's leadership saddled me onto him which made him hate me twice as much as anybody else.
"About that," I rubbed my hands together like a seedy salesman about to make a deal. "I understand the commander's brilliant strategy to deploy our forces throughout the hillside, but as we're short on soldiers, might I suggest we localize our efforts to only the upper half?"
Roselle raised a bushy eyebrow at me. "You would let those Magesong bastards charge up the hill without resistance despite the trouble they gave us yesterday?"
"Despite their efforts, they still lost the hill to you, sir," I reminded him.
"Humph... that she-elf you defeated. She wasn't much was she?" he asked, derisively.
"No, sir. She was nothing like you," I agreed while barfing in my mind.
Roselle wasted another minute thinking about my advice, and then, "Fine... have the soldiers defend the upper half of the hill."
As Roselle readied his wings for flight, I suggested one last thing to him.
"Shouldn't we send for reinforcements, sir?" I asked.
Roselle glanced at me. "Reinforcements will arrive before dawn. We are to hold the hilltop until they do."
This was a lie, of course. Roselle would never share the glory. Neither would he ever admit that he needed help.
"You will take charge of the front defenses. I'll be..." he glanced back at the ring of white stones. "I'll be leading from the rear."
I glanced at Aura and winked before I bowed my head to Roselle.
She rolled her eye in response.
"You can be useful to me, Dapper, if you remember who's in charge," Roselle said, pompously. "Not like your brother... too insolent."
At his mention of Luca, my head rose so we were eye level. "Sir?"
"He kept nagging at me to climb the hilltop. Said you and he already took it for us. Annoyed me so much I almost had my guards beat some sense into him," Roselle spoke disinterestedly, not even noticing the murderous look I was sending him.
"If it wasn't for Aura and that Edo…" Roselle reflexively shivered at the mention of Edo, Aura's half-ogre bodyguard. "I'd have had my guards cut off Luca's tongue."
My hand wrapped around my falchion's sword hilt but Aura grabbed onto my arm. She shook her head and mouthed that Luca was fine.
Roselle who had turned around while feeling self-important as he usually did was too thick-skinned to notice our silent exchange.
"Follow my orders, Dapper!" he barked before he flew off.
We watched him glide past the ring of white stones to what lay hidden behind them before I turned to Aura and thanked her for protecting Luca from our idiot commander. Although I was still worried about him and asked her where he was.
"I sent him and Edo to scout our enemy to keep him away from Roselle," Aura explained.
After a moment, I sighed in relief. The tension in me unknotted.
"Thanks again," I said.
Aura gazed at me with soft eyes.
"We're partners. I watch over your interests the same way you deal with mine," she answered.
"All right," I slapped my cheeks with the palms of my fist to psych myself up. "Do we still have any sprites to send out?"
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Aura nodded. "You want me to send a sprite messenger to call for reinforcements?"
It seemed she understood the situation as well as I did.
"It'll take them half the night to arrive if they come from Fort Darah. We'll have to hold out until then…" I said.
"Against Azuma?" Aura looked skeptical.
"Yeah, well… It's my job to figure that out. It's why you hired me," I said, jokingly.
Aura laughed. Then she saluted me and hurried off down the hill. She wasn't one to idle around.
As I watched her retreating form, my eyes were distracted by something further down, to our enemies and the lone figure standing in front of their army.
At this distance, I could just make out the long, unkempt hair billowing in the wind alongside the grey cloak he wore. His black armor gleamed despite the lack of light. So did his spear.
Azuma, a visere renowned for his offensive strength, would be my opponent tonight. It was time to get psyched up.
"Ready player one," I said.
The memory of my first visit to the Fayne was like a splash of cold water on my face. Incidentally, splashing water on my tired face was exactly what I was doing after I got up from bed the day after Luca and I conquered the top of the hill.What? Did you think I would tell you about the past three weeks in one go? Hah, no such luck for you. But don't worry, those moments will be told when they become relevant to the tale. Now, where was I?Yes, I was freshening up for another day in the human realm. Summer break was over and sophomore year had restarted for me, Arah, and Ty.Aunt Lena was at my door after I walked out of the bathroom in the crisp white shirt and grey pants that were my school uniform. She had a tray of tuna melt sandwiches in one hand and a glass of apple juice in the other."Long night?" she asked as if she guessed at the truth."Yeah... nightmare kept me up," I answered.This was a half-truth. Fighting in a battlefield really was akin to a nightmare except that death in the Fayne would have meant death in Mudgard too. Even if I resolved not to lie to my aunt unless absolutely necessary, I didn't want to worry her either."Well, don't overwork yourself, kid," she said before passing me the tray. "At least eat before you go."The tuna melt was delicious. I gobbled it up just as Ty arrived to pick me up in his Camaro.Yeah, his muscle car didn't really suit him but his dad, still hoping his son would become more adventurous, bought him the two-door sports car wishing it would have an effect. It really didn't. Ty barely used it as he preferred taking the bus alongside us mere mortals who didn't have multi-millionaire parents. Going to school was the only time he ever drove his car.I got in, we high-fived and fist-bumped, and then we drove out of my driveway to three blocks away and into Arah's cul-de-sac. She was waiting for us outside the door of her ultra-modern home designed by her architect mom and built by her engineer dad."You're two minutes late, boys," she said as she squeezed herself into the back seat behind me. "My mom was driving me nuts over beating you for the top spot on the academic ranking this year, Dean.""You're welcome to it," I said."Don't get smug with me, Dapper. I'll outrank you soon enough," she said, laughing.I was actually certain she would. After all, not only was I lacking sleep, my night job wouldn't leave me much room for studying.Ty was fiddling with the radio dial when Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol began to play."Keep it there," Arah and I said together. We all sang along to it.It was a fun ride to school, and I needed these moments with my two best friends because whenever I felt down and defeated in that other world, moments like this one always helped pick me up from the floor. They kept me alive more than any potion of healing could.The first day back in high school ended in a blur that I barely remember. One thing of note was how no one had forgotten Luca. Students decorated his locker room into a kind of shrine. They posted photos of him on the locker's metal surface. Flowers littered the floor beneath it.After Ty dropped me off at my house that afternoon, he and Arah offered to hang out, but I told them I was tired and didn't have the energy. This prompted them to exchange looks, something they've been doing a lot recently. The reason for these veiled glances was obvious. They were both worried about me, which Arah explained a moment later.I gave her the sunniest smile I could manage under her scrutiny and told them both that I was fine. Then I got out of the car before either of them could say more and walked into my house without looking back. I waited just inside the door to hear Ty's car drive away before I sojourned into the kitchen for food.Aunt Lena left me a note on the fridge saying she would be late getting home because she was going on a date with her new girlfriend.I smiled. "Cool, at least someone in this house is getting some action."This made me think of Aura and her otherworldly beauty. But I pushed the thought of her aside and grabbed the leftover tuna melt from the fridge. I took it with me as I walked up the familiar stairs.Once I was back inside my room, I trotted over to the window and took a peek through the curtains. Ty's blue Camaro was parked at the end of the street.I first noticed them last week after I declined another meet up by claiming I was going to sleep early. They didn't believe me and thought I was sneaking away someplace. They were only half right.I sat on my bed, reminding myself to spend more time with them just so they would stop staking out my house. After all, I couldn't get annoyed as they were just worried for me.After I finished my sandwich, I went into the adjoining bathroom to do my business. By the time I left it, the sun had finally set. It was time."Here we go again," I said to no one in particular while I lay down on my mattress. "I wonder if Luca followed my instructions... I hope he did."My eyes had barely closed when I felt it. The tug of the other side calling me, and as I drifted off to sleep, I felt the gust of wind lift me up-up-up, past my ceiling, past my house, and straight up into the sky.The threshold between the two realms was like falling into a pool of ice-cold water, and it was something I could never get used to no matter how many times I went through it. Imagine soaring up to that ceiling in the sky, touching it, and then falling immediately afterward, down into wherever it was you were last before you excited the Fayne. It was a very jarring experience.When consciousness returned to me, I found myself in the middle of chaos. Soldiers in the same midnight blue leather vest as me were moving around in every direction, no doubt marching to the orders barked by the big-headed, willowy figure standing atop a huge chunk of white stone a little ways above me."Get your shitty heads in gear, you reprobates," Commander Roselle barked. "I want all defenses on this hill manned in five minutes!""I guess Luca managed fine," I said to myself as I got up from the ground.I was in the same spot I was in before I disappeared back into the human world. At the hilltop, south of the formations of circle stones Roselle was now using as his personal platform. The bodies of the two dead hobgoblin guards were missing, as was that of the enemy commander. It seemed I missed out on claiming spoils.Above me, the golden moon of the Fayne was nowhere in sight. Instead, the night sky was a dark canvas of nimbus clouds that signaled the coming of impending rainfall. A little ways below me, the surviving soldiers of my unit were gathering to occupy the defensive fortifications of wooden fences left behind by the enemy. Further down, the remnant of the Magesong clan's soldiers gathered around the bottom of the hill. It seemed our forces had changed positions from the night before.I took all of this in while Roselle barked orders that I thought didn't really match the situation we were in. There was no need to occupy all the hill's defenses, just the ones near the top."Well, did you formulate a plan in the time you were staring off into space?" said a soft female voice that was like honey being poured into my ears.I looked behind me to the she-elf standing a yard away."Yo!" I said, in greeting.Aura had her arms crossed."You left me behind with the unit," she accused. "While you and Luca risked your lives to secure the hilltop."The blue eyes behind the golden half-mask that covered her face narrowed.The name change and haircut weren't enough. Aura was still instantly recognizable by anyone in the Trickster Pavilion. So, she opted for a mask that covered the upper half of her face to just below the bridge of her nose. It was golden in design and had intricate patterns surrounding the eye holes similar to a masquerade mask. Over her golden hair, she wore a wide hood that was attached to the midnight blue cloak draped across her shoulders. Her armor was the same leather as mine but newer and cleaner. Only the supple, brown boots she wore showed any signs of wear.I sighed. "The plan was a little too risky. I left you behind in case it ended in failure.""It obviously didn't," she gestured to where we were. "I could have helped."I walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Believe me, you'll get your chance tonight."I glanced back down the hill where the enemy was gathering. Somehow, their size had tripled compared to the night before."There's more than one Century down there," I noted.Anyone not familiar with fairy military jargon wouldn't know that a Century was the official designation for a one-hundred-man unit, but Aura knew what I meant as she nodded in agreement."There are at least three Centuries down there," she said."Damn... that's not good," I said while she and I walked toward our own commander. "Do we know who's leading their reinforcements?""It's Azuma," Aura answered.I stopped walking and swiveled my head to look at her. "Seriously? Are you sure?""The scouts saw him arrive ten minutes before you did," she answered."They must have a port-anchor ready for him so he can arrive wherever he's needed," I scowled. "Must be nice. I hear those help soften the landing... Why don't you get me one?""Sadly, you're not renowned enough for me to spend that much gold on you yet," she laughed lightly."Geez, if we're fighting Azuma... then this will be a long night," I said."Aura nodded her head. "Luca said the same thing.""Where is he?" I asked.At the same time as I cast my eyes around for my little brother, I saw a willowy figure hovering over Aura and me, his gossamer wings flapping soundlessly behind him.Commander Roselle landed in front of us, and in a single breath, proceeded to reprimand me for disobeying his orders despite my disobedience being the cause for our winning the field last night.I wasn't much-paying attention as he'd lectured me one too many times in the three weeks since I joined his unit. Even words like "punishment" and "demotion" didn't really scare me as I was under the protection of the clan princess, and Roselle knew as much. This, however, didn't stop him from wanting to intimidate me every chance he got."What have you got to say for yourself, Dapper?" he asked."Apologies, sir!" I said, placatingly. "As the unit's strategist, I saw an opportunity to assist in your conquest of this hill and I proceeded to achieve it in haste."Roselle's slanted eyes, one red iris on the left and one grey iris on the right, glared at me."Are you lying to me, human?" he asked through thin lips."No sir," I answered, quickly.Roselle, like most fairies, can be vindictive when affronted. That would be an extra hassle I didn't need in this conflict as I needed him to listen to my advice.His chest, hidden behind the chain-mail he wore, puffed slightly. "Good, good... Just as long as you know who's in charge... Mr. Strategist."He obviously meant it as a taunt. Roselle hated that the clan's leadership saddled me onto him which made him hate me twice as much as anybody else."About that," I rubbed my hands together like a seedy salesman about to make a deal. "I understand the commander's brilliant strategy to deploy our forces throughout the hillside, but as we're short on soldiers, might I suggest we localize our efforts to only the upper half?"Roselle raised a bushy eyebrow at me. "You would let those Magesong bastards charge up the hill without resistance despite the trouble they gave us yesterday?""Despite their efforts, they still lost the hill to you, sir," I reminded him."Humph... that she-elf you defeated. She wasn't much was she?" he asked, derisively."No, sir. She was nothing like you," I agreed while barfing in my mind.Roselle wasted another minute thinking about my advice, and then, "Fine... have the soldiers defend the upper half of the hill."As Roselle readied his wings for flight, I suggested one last thing to him."Shouldn't we send for reinforcements, sir?" I asked.Roselle glanced at me. "Reinforcements will arrive before dawn. We are to hold the hilltop until they do."This was a lie, of course. Roselle would never share the glory. Neither would he ever admit that he needed help."You will take charge of the front defenses. I'll be..." he glanced back at the ring of white stones. "I'll be leading from the rear."I glanced at Aura and winked before I bowed my head to Roselle.She rolled her eye in response."You can be useful to me, Dapper, if you remember who's in charge," Roselle said, pompously. "Not like your brother... too insolent."At his mention of Luca, my head rose so we were eye level. "Sir?""He kept nagging at me to climb the hilltop. Said you and he already took it for us. Annoyed me so much I almost had my guards beat some sense into him," Roselle spoke disinterestedly, not even noticing the murderous look I was sending him."If it wasn't for Aura and that Edo" Roselle reflexively shivered at the mention of Edo, Aura's half-ogre bodyguard. "I'd have had my guards cut off Luca's tongue."My hand wrapped around my falchion's sword hilt but Aura grabbed onto my arm. She shook her head and mouthed that Luca was fine.Roselle who had turned around while feeling self-important as he usually did was too thick-skinned to notice our silent exchange."Follow my orders, Dapper!" he barked before he flew off.We watched him glide past the ring of white stones to what lay hidden behind them before I turned to Aura and thanked her for protecting Luca from our idiot commander. Although I was still worried about him and asked her where he was."I sent him and Edo to scout our enemy to keep him away from Roselle," Aura explained.After a moment, I sighed in relief. The tension in me unknotted."Thanks again," I said.Aura gazed at me with soft eyes."We're partners. I watch over your interests the same way you deal with mine," she answered."All right," I slapped my cheeks with the palms of my fist to psych myself up. "Do we still have any sprites to send out?" Find authorized novels in Webnovelfaster updates, better experiencePlease click www.webnovel.com for visiting.Aura nodded. "You want me to send a sprite messenger to call for reinforcements?"It seemed she understood the situation as well as I did."It'll take them half the night to arrive if they come from Fort Darah. We'll have to hold out until then" I said."Against Azuma?" Aura looked skeptical."Yeah, well It's my job to figure that out. It's why you hired me," I said, jokingly.Aura laughed. Then she saluted me and hurried off down the hill. She wasn't one to idle around.As I watched her retreating form, my eyes were distracted by something further down, to our enemies and the lone figure standing in front of their army.At this distance, I could just make out the long, unkempt hair billowing in the wind alongside the grey cloak he wore. His black armor gleamed despite the lack of light. So did his spear.Azuma, a visere renowned for his offensive strength, would be my opponent tonight. It was time to get psyched up."Ready player one," I said.
