The next two run-throughs of the exercise went through in a similar manner to the first. So much so that the amusement Stannis gained slowly morphed into frustration. At the end of the third round, he finally exploded in anger, causing him to drastically shift expectations.

 It was all and well that everyone was physically exerting themselves. Doing so served as a marginal training influence, as well as experiencing minor injuries possible in the field. The issue he raised, however, was the inability of any of the teams to maintain formation.

 To this end, the field was stripped of all objectives and obstacles and a new one was given. Team against team in a shield wall was the given scenario, no more Lady to capture. The victory condition was managing to lay out the opposing team, with no time limit given. 

 

"Who do you think will manage the best?"

 

Stannis asked, leaning towards me from his chair. 

 

"Hmm, John seems timid but he was patient. Maeve is quick to take on an opportunity for a win, so she may bite too quickly."

 

Stannis nodded as he leaned back into his chair. The two of us were leaning back close to a small fire at the edge of the yard as the chill of the evening began moving in. With the clashing of metal and wood in the background, we chatted from our position as spectators.

 

I'm not sure what kind of commentary Stannis rightly expects of me here. Is he testing my observation skills? Er- Hmmm.

 

I paused my thoughts as I rested my chin in my palm. 

 

The training isn't traditional, you can easily see who spends more time here.

 

My eyes fell on the teams clashing, Maeve's halberd falling into the opposing team as she attempted to yank someone's shield away.

 

"Hey, Uncle Stan."

 

"Hm?"

 

Looking at Stannis, he was obviously absorbed in the fight himself. It was strange though, as he'd make occasional glances and probe me for an opinion from time to time.

 

It was fun at first through the scope of playing, at least it felt like that from base emotion… following that little compass of feelings like Kiyomi is in here somewhere. But on my own, why does it feel like Stannis is looking for something?

 

With me grabbing his attention directly, Stannis raised a brow as he turned his head.

 

 I'm catching a similar vibe to when I was with Chessa. Underneath the surface, there's something he wants to discuss…

 

"What's up kid?"

 

I hesitated for a moment, looking up as I thought over my question once more before asking.

 

This isn't a subject I can beat around the bush on… just ask.

 

“Why am I here? Er- I mean…”

 

I leaned forward onto my knees, scratching my neck as I did.

 

“I catch on quick… the armor stuff, training… I’m a kid but I’m not ignorant of what the purpose is here.”

I was awkward in my wording but it felt sufficient. Given my silence on my own history on earth, discussing topics of reality, on violence, was difficult to do efficiently. Two and a half years of talking like a child were taking their toll on my own speech patterns. So much so that any accent, pattern, or mannerism would be unrecognizable by this point. With them, my ability to speak openly on anything that felt volatile was all but stripped away.

 

“Ah.”

 

Stannis took his eyes off of the skirmish in front of us for a moment, looking down into the fire as he rubbed his chin for a moment. The faint sound of scruff catching on his palm and giving way could barely be heard as he did. 

 

“You caught on quick, more so than I would've liked.”

 

That's a surprise, Stannis is uncomfortable. And here I thought he was some stalwart type. 

 

“Given what your Mother and Callum have planned though, the less in the dark you are the better.”

 

Stannis continued scratching his scruff before looking back up to the fight with a sigh. 

 

“You’re smart Kiyomi, too much for your own peace of mind.”

 

Well if that isn't ominous.

 

Stannis remained silent for a few moments, unmoving as he watched. 

 

“If you understand, then enlighten me a little so I don’t say anything unnecessary. Can that little noggin of yours comprehend that?”

 

Stannis asked quietly, enough so that his voice didn't project far. 

 

"Tch, I have to play guessing games?"

 

I clicked my tongue in frustration, looking away from Stannis and back to the skirmish the same as he did. John's team appeared to be getting the upper hand once more, Barry and Deidre were out of the fight yet Fjord and Janus were down not long after. They were trading blow for blow as each fighter slowly fell.

 

"Is that the sound of lip I hear?"

 

Ah, loosening my grip a bit much here.

 

I glanced over to see Stannis legitimately surprised. When I thought of it, I'm not sure I'd ever talked back around him.

 

"Sorry… sir."

 

"No apologies granted for the topic's difficulty. Kiyomi I can't discuss this with you if you're not competent enough. Do you understand?"

 

Part of me thought to mouth off at his remark before calming myself.

 

He can't exactly tell me if he doesn't know the limit of my understanding. If that's it, I can get it.

 

With a sigh, I turned back to face Stannis.

 

"What's the sign I should draw attention to?"

 

Be careful with your wording here, I'm stepping out of line with this.

 

"I wasn't quick to notice at first, but new scaffolding along parts of the wall. New guards left and right both from the city and the refugees. Non-standardized equipment and training. Or-"

 

I looked at the skirmish, the tide moving temporarily in Maeve's favor.

 

"Or the sudden investment of unconventional militia?"

 

My mind was spoken, at least with my own understanding. At my words Stannis was quiet still, only now he was clenching his jaw.

 

"I guess Lorn may have taught you more than appropriate, that fits given her usual behavior. I reckon, then my next words carry more weight than I anticipated. Kiyomi, none of you should have to see this."

 

Stannis turned to look at me directly.

 

"You're here because I want you to understand this image."

 

Stannis motioned to the skirmish.

 

"These people could save your life or-"

 

Stannis shifted in an uncharacteristic way.

 

"I don't want to think of it, but you could be forced to save theirs."

 

With his words, Stannis could be heard audibly straining himself. It was as if his own words scared him, or more so, they hurt.

 

"You could eventually fight with them… I am unsure of what you know for certain. But I'm sure you know life could be turned drastically at a moment."

 

Stannis averted his eyes for a moment.

 

"What I'm saying is you could be in Janus's shoes next."

 

I squinted at Stannis as he spoke.

 

"Is this some kind of recruiting tactic?"

 

The comment earned a click of Stannis's own tongue.

 

"Tch, could only hope the opposite."

 

Our eyes met as Stannis leaned forward onto his own knees.

 

"I don't want that for you, but I want you to know that reality. Personally, I'd rather-"

 

Stannis raised his hand as if to catch his breath, his expression changing to that of sincere concern.

 

"Kiyomi, is that alone sufficient? I can't discuss that with you, not for the sake of my conscience. Maybe if you someone older and not of relation, but not you."

 

I furrowed my brow at his words for a moment as words attempted to escape my throat.

 

"But-"

 

Stannis raised his hand once more.

 

"Yes sir."

 

I looked away meekly, leaning back in my chair as I did. Crossing my legs, I looked down to my hands.

 

Fuck off, so you'd rather confirm my suspicion and leave it at that?

 

Clenching them, I recounted the few short memories that haunted my dreams intermittently. The memories that weren't my own, but hurt to relive all the same. The memories of fire, of a man that looked up to me as he died, of a mother and father who both looked down on me with love.

 

"And if I do?"

 

I crossed my arms as I spoke, the words nearly caught in my throat from some ynkown surge of emotion.

 

"Pardon?"

 

Stannis asked, sounding confused at my question.

 

"Barry will have a handful more than some boy who's just strong enough to carry himself."

 

I spoke with a sense of spite in my voice, though I was unable to pin down the source. It felt strange, from a sense of anger that felt repressed.

 

"Ah."

 

My question went unanswered for what felt like an eternity, though I was sure only a minute or two had passed.

 

"Hah… hahaha, okay Kiyomi."

 

Stannis could be heard laughing under his breath.

 

"Fair I suppose, that rebellious nature must be rearing its head soon for your age. Though-"

 

Stannis caught his breath and sighed.

 

"I'm sure it won't be necessary, you've probably surpassed them in capability. All you've got to do is grow into it."

 

Glancing over, I expected to see Stannis giving his usual emotionless, tired gaze. The image that greeted me forced me to make a double tale, however. For but a moment, a strangely familiar face I'd never recalled was there instead. A man in his thirties, cat-like ears adorning his head as a mane of dark brown hair was slicked back with two small horns protruding through.

 

The fuck?

 

Upon second glance, the likeness was absent. In its place, Stannis was there, with a fatherly smile.

 

"Let us hope the Gods' do not see that in your future."

 

Looking back to the skirmish, Stannis stood from his chair.

 

"Eyes up, the final two are sparring. As soon as they're done, we'll teach you about Runelocking."

 

Runelocking- oh, whose left?

 

With all eyes upon the final two fighters, Noone was surprised at the matching of the two that fought, though it was a strange match, to begin with. Maeve and John's Halberd and spear were interlocked as the two battled to force each other back.

---

The sound of the dining room was overcome with a backdrop of laughter and the clatter of tableware. Everyone gathered after the training was said and done, no guards, no militia, no rank. Only friends, neighbors, or acquaintances licking their wounds, bonding as if nothing had occurred. It was bittersweet, reminding me of my squad, friends, of Lucas. 

 

Ah, still not over it.

 

I’d seen scenes like this plenty before, but none seemed to click in my mind like this one. 

 

The environment? Or is it the training environment bullshit that's making this painful to watch-

 

"So, Runelocking."

 

Stannis spoke, breaking me from a loop of thought I didn't want to follow. 

 

Distraction! Need something to keep the thoughts away. 

 

Shaking my head, I looked at Stannis as he sat alongside me.

 

“Yeah?”

 

Stannis placed a rather pristine mace on the table in front of us. Alongside my sword, it looked like a toy though it was still the length of Stannis's arm. 

 

"Said you needed to learn, figured why not now while I still have ya. Never been given the opportunity to teach you much."

 

“Is it something I’ll need to know as an adventurer?”

 

Stannis shook his head awkwardly at my question. I was unsure of his reasoning though, I knew as much that my sword was already locked to me. I didn't see much use in learning it for any other reason since the work was already done.

 

"Eh, yes and no. As an adventurer, it's not necessary although it would behoove you to. You may find yourself eventually trying another weapon, or if you have anything else on you to keep from getting snatched."

 

Stannis lifted a wooden box from the floor, placing it on the table with a thud. The sound of clattering tools emanated from within as he slid it across the wooden surface. With it placed between us, Stannis opened the lid. Inside were various tools, some chemicals, and surprisingly, a metal die set.

 

"You say to keep anything else on me from getting snatched?"

 

I leaned closer to the box after asking my question, getting a better look at the die.

 

"Armor, weapons, trinkets, any of them can be Runelocked. As your sword is runelocked, so can a necklace."

 

"Any item I can think of? Even gold?"

 

"Well, yes, but doing that would make it worthless unless melted down."

 

"What exactly does it do anyway?"

 

I layer my head on my arm as I looked up to my teacher, following his words. Stannis shook his head in response, looking to the ceiling as he thought.

 

"Well, it depends on the amount of mana put into it. It can range from an irritating rash to full-on burns if handled improperly. It can reach through clothes, and in most cases, armor."

 

Stannis grabbed his mace, lifting it and looking along the length of its grip. 

 

"First things first is finding a place to plant your runes."

 

Stannis looked over to me, ensuring I was following along.

 

"On your sword, they're along the blade and underneath the crossguard. However, on my mace, I'd figure a spot beneath the pommel is sufficient. It will keep it hidden, and for convenience's sake, away from being damaged."

 

Placing the mace down, he slowly looked through the die set before grabbing a simple one displaying a line with two branches.

 

"A small hammer and Mana is all you need from there."

 

Stannis began his work, checking for my focus from time to time as he tapped away. Beating the rune into the pommel was more difficult than it sounded, given it was steel instead of brass or being heated. The end result was a dull, but unmistakable mark. Chemicals were pulled from the box one by one, each added to a rag before it was used to polish the surface. A strange swirling glow encompassed the stamping in the metal soon after, nearly hypnotic in its flow. 

 

Yet more fantasy-level shit everything, I can never be surprised though. 

 

"What exactly is the whole point of the potions n stuff?"

 

I asked, sitting up. The process seemed so effortless, especially given the ease of its application up to this point.

 

"Well, the first few, here."

 

Stannis shook two bottles in hand.

 

"These are for prepping the metal, I don't know all the science behind it other than it has raw mana forced into it. Supposedly it's supposed to promote the bond of the mana to an inanimate surface. After those, you apply this one not long after to channel the mana through."

 

Placing the bottles down and lifting the last he used in place, Stannis held it up to the light still shining through the window. Light refracted through the clear glass bottle, reflecting small rays of blue and gold.

 

"Mana-enriched oil, mixed with mana-rich monster blood. That's an oversimplification of it, but you can make the stuff yourself if you know how to carve up a beastie just right."

 

What the shit-

 

"Monster blood?"

 

Stannis nodded as he opened the bottle once more dampening the cloth he'd used already.

 

"I'd figure a little more would be fine, but yes. Remember how monsters can generally process mana in a more primitive fashion?"

 

I nodded, allowing Stannis to continue. Receiving a faint smile from the man as he worked in return, I felt a strange need to pester further before he spoke.

 

"From here, we channel mana. Granted for some it will be different, it's roughly the same process overall. Now, look close, I can only do this once right now"