Unseen Apprentice

The training grounds of Eclipsevane were a chaotic mix of clanging metal, grunts of effort, and the occasional barked instruction from a seasoned guild member. Kael found himself on the far side of the grounds with Eryon, who had somehow convinced him to join in for a morning of "basic training."

Eryon stood across from him, wooden practice sword in hand, his stance unsteady but eager. His silver hair shimmered in the faint sunlight, his youthful energy practically vibrating off him. "Come on, Kael!" he called, grinning. "Show me what you've got!"

Kael sighed, gripping his own practice sword. He wasn't sure why he'd agreed to this, but Eryon's infectious enthusiasm had a way of wearing down resistance. "You're not going to make this easy, are you?" he asked, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

"Of course not!" Eryon shot back, bouncing slightly on his feet. "If you're going to be running around with Merrick and Jane, you've gotta be sharp!"

Kael raised an eyebrow. "I thought this was just supposed to be basic training."

"Details," Eryon said, waving a hand dismissively. He lunged forward, his swing wide and telegraphed. Kael sidestepped easily, tapping the flat of his blade against Eryon's arm.

"Too slow," Kael said, stepping back into a ready stance.

Eryon frowned, adjusting his grip. "I'm just warming up!"

The two exchanged a few more blows, Kael holding back to let Eryon practice. Despite his inexperience, Eryon's determination was clear, and he improved with each attempt. After a particularly close swing that Kael narrowly dodged, the younger boy paused, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

"You're not bad," Kael admitted, lowering his practice sword. "But you're still telegraphing your moves. Try keeping your shoulders relaxed."

Eryon straightened, nodding as he adjusted his stance. "Got it," he said, his tone serious. Then, after a moment, he added, "You know, I wish I could come with you guys on the mission."

Kael blinked, caught off guard by the statement. "You want to come with us?"

"Of course I do!" Eryon said, his eyes lighting up. "I've been training for ages, and this would be my first real chance to prove myself. Plus, you're my friend now, right? Friends stick together."

Kael chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I appreciate the thought, but missions like this aren't exactly… lighthearted adventures."

Eryon's expression sobered, and he nodded. "I know. That's why I can't come."

Kael tilted his head, curious. "Why not?"

Eryon hesitated, glancing down at his practice sword. "Merrick says I'm not ready. And he's right," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I still have a lot to learn, and if I went out there and messed up… I'd just make things harder for you guys."

Kael studied him for a moment, impressed by the boy's self-awareness. "That's a pretty mature way of looking at it."

Eryon shrugged, a faint smile returning to his face. "Doesn't mean I don't want to go. But, hey, at least I can help you train. If you're going to be running around with Merrick and Jane, you'll need all the help you can get!"

Kael laughed, raising his practice sword again. "Fair enough. Let's see what you've got."

As they resumed their sparring, Kael couldn't help but feel a pang of admiration for Eryon. The boy had spirit, and even if he couldn't join the mission, his determination was clear. Maybe one day, Kael thought as he deflected another swing. But not yet.

Eryon lunged forward again, this time with a more refined stance, his grip tighter on the practice sword. Kael blocked easily, though he noted the improvement. "Better," he said, stepping back and watching Eryon reset his position. "You're keeping your shoulders relaxed now."

Eryon grinned, his chest heaving from exertion. "Told you I was warming up."

Kael smirked but didn't respond, his mind momentarily drifting. As Eryon prepared for another strike, Kael felt a strange pull in his chest—a subtle tug of longing that caught him off guard. Alsta. The name surfaced in his thoughts unbidden, bringing with it a flood of memories.

The warmth of the forge, the sound of laughter around the village square, Lysa's silver hair catching the light as she leaned on his shoulder by the fountain…

"Kael? You good?" Eryon's voice snapped him back to the present.

Kael blinked, shaking his head slightly. "Yeah, sorry. Zoned out for a second."

Eryon lowered his practice sword, tilting his head. "Thinking about the mission?"

Kael hesitated. Not exactly. "Something like that," he said vaguely, gripping his own practice sword a little tighter.

Eryon studied him for a moment, his youthful curiosity evident. "You've got that look. Like you're carrying a ton of bricks on your back. Anything you wanna talk about?"

Kael managed a small smile, grateful for the boy's earnestness but unwilling to share too much. "Just… thinking about where I came from," he admitted. "People I left behind."

Eryon nodded slowly, his expression more serious now. "That's tough. But, hey, maybe you'll get back to them someday. After all, if you're going on this mission to help someone else, who's to say they won't help you get home too?"

Kael glanced at Eryon, his words hitting closer to the mark than the boy probably realized. Home. It felt like a foreign concept now. Alsta had been a sanctuary, a place where he'd found some semblance of peace after everything. But it wasn't his home—not really.

Still, the thought of Lysa and the others brought a tightness to his chest. What's happening there now? Are they okay? Did she know what she was asking when she sent me here?

"You're staring off again," Eryon teased, though his tone was light.

Kael forced a chuckle, gripping the practice sword with both hands. "Maybe I just don't want to humiliate you in front of everyone."

Eryon laughed, raising his sword. "Oh, it's on now!"

They resumed their sparring, Eryon's laughter echoing through the training grounds. But even as Kael deflected the boy's attacks and offered pointers, his thoughts kept drifting back to Alsta.

Eryon lunged again, his movements more precise this time. Kael stepped to the side, twisting his body just enough to let the wooden blade swish harmlessly past him. Before Eryon could recover, Kael lightly tapped him on the back with his practice sword.

"Point to me," Kael said with a smirk, lowering the weapon.

Eryon groaned, rubbing his back dramatically. "You're supposed to let me win at least once, you know."

Kael chuckled, resting the blade against his shoulder. "I'm helping you improve, not handing out participation trophies."

Eryon sighed but grinned, clearly enjoying the challenge. "Fine, but next time, I'm coming at you full force."

"I'll be waiting," Kael replied, gesturing for him to reset his stance.

As Eryon readied himself again, Kael couldn't help but notice the determination in the boy's eyes. It was the kind of fiery resolve he had seen before, though it was buried under layers of doubt and insecurity. Eryon reminded him of himself in a way—scrappy, eager, and desperate to prove something.

Eryon broke the silence. "So, what's it like where you're from? Your village, I mean."

Kael hesitated, his grip tightening on the hilt of the practice sword. Alsta. The name was right there, but the memories it brought with it felt like a sharp blade against his chest. He could almost hear Lysa's voice teasing him, see Meryn's warm smile as she worked tirelessly in the forge.

"It's… peaceful," Kael said finally, his voice quieter. "Small, but good people. The kind of place where you can catch your breath."

Eryon nodded thoughtfully. "Sounds nice. Better than this dump." He gestured around at the crumbling walls of Eclipsevane, his expression souring. "I'd kill to live in a place like that."

Kael smirked faintly. "It has its moments."

"And the people?" Eryon asked, his curiosity insatiable. "You got family there?"

Kael stiffened slightly, the question catching him off guard. He forced a nonchalant shrug. "Not really. Just… people I worked with, people I cared about."

Eryon gave him a knowing look but didn't press further. "They sound lucky to have you," he said simply, his voice earnest.

Kael opened his mouth to respond but closed it again, unsure of what to say. Lucky? I abandoned them. If anything, I'm the one who doesn't deserve—

"Kael!" Eryon's shout jolted him back to the present. The boy was charging forward, his practice sword raised high.

Kael moved instinctively, blocking the strike and twisting his blade to disarm Eryon in one fluid motion. The boy's sword clattered to the ground, and Kael stepped back, raising an eyebrow.

"Got distracted," Kael said, smirking. "You took advantage."

"Of course I did!" Eryon exclaimed, retrieving his weapon. "You always say to seize the opportunity, right?"

"I never said that," Kael replied, though there was amusement in his tone.

"Well, you should have." Eryon grinned, then straightened his stance. "One more round?"

Kael shook his head, lowering his sword. "We've been at it for a while. You're going to burn yourself out."

Eryon frowned but nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But next time, I'm going to wipe the floor with you."

Kael chuckled, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "We'll see."

As they walked back toward the main building, Eryon glanced up at him. "You're a good teacher, you know."

Kael looked down at him, surprised by the compliment. "I wouldn't go that far."

"No, really," Eryon insisted. "You've got this calm, steady thing going on. It's… I don't know. It makes me feel like I can actually do this."

Kael smiled faintly, though there was a heaviness in his chest. Calm, steady? If only you knew.

"Thanks, Eryon," he said quietly. "That means a lot."

They walked in silence for a moment, the training grounds fading into the background. Kael's thoughts drifted again, back to Alsta. Back to Lysa and Meryn. The warmth he had found there, and the growing dread of what might be happening now.

"Kael?" Eryon's voice pulled him back once more.

"Yeah?" he asked, glancing down at the boy.

"You think you'll go back there? To your village?"

Kael hesitated, his gaze shifting to the horizon. "Maybe," he said finally. "But not yet."

Eryon nodded as if that answer made perfect sense. "Well, when you do, they'll be glad to have you back."

Kael didn't respond, the weight of those words sinking deep into his chest. Will they? Or am I just fooling myself?