Marco V

Training with Kurt took place in random places. Today the self-proclaimed genius selected a brick house that smelled of horse manure. 

"Your power relies on your surroundings," Kurt explained while covering his nose and mouth with his robe. "You must be able to wield anything around you to its full potential, even in this — ugh — noxious setting."

Marco said in a muffled voice, his mouth shielded by his arm, "It's filthy. Admit it, none of us wants to be here. I'm out! What on earth was going inside of your head when you thought of training me here?"

"It wasn't my fault, my lord. I asked the servant to search for a suitable house with no occupants. We visited this place before; unfortunately, some vagrants probably stopped by in between and left some disgusting... remains." Kurt rattled through his cover, pausing to catch his breath. "But this is fortuitous! Don't you think so? To push your limits."

"You're just making up a reason. It's okay to make a mistake."

His genius trainer did not have the least intention of backing down. "Today, you have to do more than just impress me. You will have to defeat a veteran soldier of the holy army."

A man in his fifties stepped into the doorway, clad in a black tunic, a sword strapped to his waist. In the glare of early morning sun, his gray hair sparkled in gold streaks. "The name's Dirk of Caulway. It's a pleasure to meet you, my lord," he said, voice deep and gravelly. He exuded the aura of a killer.

"The pleasure's all mine, Dirk of Caulway. Although pleasure's not the word this morning. I must apologize that my genius of a teacher has brought you to a stench pit."

"No worries, my lord. I have smelled worse." True to his words, he breathed in the foul air without covering his nose.

I haven't. Marco glanced over to Kurt who seemed to be dead set on continuing with today's agenda. 

Kurt spoke, "You might possess far greater potent talent than Dirk, but he has you beat on experience. Defeat him, that's the test for today. If you can't, you'll be going back here tomorrow and the day after that. Until you emerge victorious. But you shouldn't command things you have used before. That includes the earth, air, grass and tree."

In other words, he wants me to use the bricks of the house or the manure. "That means, today's lesson is over if I defeat him?"

"Yes?"

"Okay then," Marco said, lowering his arm from his nose. "Let's start right away."

Huuuu... Marco let out tendrils of holy energy, flowing forth from pores on his skin, coalescing into streams of golden light that sought contact with everything around him. To the ceiling. To the soil. To the horse droppings. To the air. To the wall. Even to the rocks underneath the turf. Everything they touched, Marco gained control over them.

Dirk pulled out his sword, enveloping himself in a light much fainter than Marco's.

Marco flicked one finger. INVIOLABLE EDICT! He launched a pile of horse shit.

"AWW!" It was Kurt who yelped. "GOD FORGIVE YOU!" He frantically picked at the dung on his face.

Marco broke into a laugh. "That's a punishment for bringing your lord here."

"You seemed to underestimate me." Dirk charged, undistracted, locked in on the battle. Indeed, he had a soldier's discipline.

"I never underestimated you." INVIOLABLE EDICT! The roof collapsed right before the old veteran. Light filtered into the small room. BANG! He broke through them with the sheer swing of his sword. CLINK. CLINK. Bricks after bricks were sent but Dirk knocked them away without breaking a sweat. Marco also sent balls of manure just for good fun; but the old man's sense of humor must have died on the battlefield. His eyes glowed with concentration. One brick hit the soldier on the knee, but it did not seem to inflict the least harm. Heavenly Guard. A protective charm most soldiers learned. It could block most physical attacks, but maintaining it drained their energy quickly.

Marco paused his barrage to prepare a bigger attack. Dirk grabbed the chance to advance on him, thrusting his sword forward to break through Marco's brick shield. BOOM! Stones clattered to the ground. But a colossus made of brick and dung soon materialized before him. SHATTER! The shale roof completely crumbled as the colossus grew towering over the brick house. It stomped on the soldier. It swung its enormous arms down at him. Dirk sliced at the brick legs but any material he chipped came flying back to the golem, making it whole again. This was the extent of the power of Marco Vermilon. This is the difference between us. As long as I feed the colossus with holy power, it will be immortal. And I will not run out of holy power in this battle, not before you do.

Having realized his strikes to be futile, Dirk made a beeline for Marco instead. He shot out with lightning speed. Marco could not catch him with his eyes. But he was prepared.

Dirk's sword thrust past Marco's meager defense of bricks and dung. "You should have learned that this is not enough to stop me!"

INVIOLABLE EDICT! Marco shot out more holy power all over his body. As soon as a single tendril of light made contact with the point of Dirk's sword, Marco gained control. SWOOSH. The metal of the sword was utterly vaporized. I' ll feel bad if that's his favorite sword.

But his holy gift did not have command over humans. SMACK! A fist landed on his cheek. He heard Kurt cheering. The bastard. Dirk jumped on a floating stone, about to launch another punch. He was indeed a fighter. Marco called forth his colossus, transforming it instantly into a tentacled stone creature. The tentacles whipped at Dirk from behind, slamming him outside the brick house. Before he could stand, the colossus pinned him down on all four limbs until he yelled defeat. "I surrender!"

Marco had the urge to hurt him some more; but he stopped. I was just getting started. He ordered the colossus to step back and crumble to dust.

"I'm glad I've seen your power before this old man retires. I know that the kingdom is in good hands."

Marco extended a hand to pull him up. "Thank you for this lesson, I shall remember your name and prowess, Dirk of Caulway. I'll have my teacher compensate for the sword. Forgive me for ruining it but you were too strong, you gave me no choice."

Kurt came skipping, blushing and giddy, "My, my, you've truly grown, my lord. Who even among your age in Araya can come toe-to-toe with you? I believe no one. Thanks to me." He did not seem so upset any more about the dung Marco threw at his face. Some even got to his teeth.

"The lesson is over now. I'll be off. Please take care."

All three of them were covered in manure. Marco was only smeared of excrement because he bore the brunt of Dirk's punch which nearly unscrewed his head. With his blood running, he wanted to train some more. But he had a place to be.

Gallagher was a landlocked earldom, but it teemed with farms of wheat and livestock. It's capital, the Merchant City of Vermil, nestled within patches of agricultural lands and deciduous forests, was a strategic point on the Pilgrim Road where traders all over Araya gathered at the half-way point. Especially during the monsoon seasons when the sea would become hostile to seafarers, they would rather take the long earthen route than risk the waves.

This month was not one of those times. Marco found Vermil quiet and lifeless, with only a few foreign caravans about. The city saw a short-lived boom during Father Pietro's passing, but all the visitors and pilgrims had long since scattered from the Merchant City.

What brought Marco back to Vermil was a letter he received two days ago. "Would you care for some tea?" It read, along with a place and time. It came from Philip the exorcist.

Philip had chosen a great place, Marco had to admit. He himself was not a fan of tea but the black chamomile they served at this cafe seemed to soothe the pain on his injured cheek and put his mind at ease, even as his expected company drained his patience by the minute. He glanced at the clock. It's been half an hour past one. Where is that damn fake inspector?

The overhanging witch bells chimed and clinked when the door opened. Philip strode in with a pipe in his mouth. Without the other two inspectors that he outsized, he did not look so tall. He had shed his gray disguise and instead wore a simpler linen shirt for the hot dry weather. He did not appear so intimidating anymore.

Still, Marco did not like him.

"Young lord, what a pleasure!"

"Have you been well, Inspector?"

"I have, thank you. I can see you've been well too," he said, settling down opposite Marco, "Girl, please give me the same drink as the liege."

"So, what have you found?"

"I'm just wondering, my lord, what I am getting from this exchange."

Clever. Does he want money? He doesn't seem like it though. "Weren't you after the truth regarding my brother's identity? I led you to the right direction. I allowed you into the manor. Now it's time for you to pay up."

"And I thank you for it. But this is an information exchange. A barter if you will. I am not willing to disclose it if you-"

"Then I'll visit the grave myself."

"And excavate the casket on what grounds?" Philip chuckled bravely, unbothered by the fact he was sneering at the future Earl of Gallagher.

"What information do you want?"

"A simple yes or no."

Marco regarded the dangerous man in front of him, each time pondering if he was making a mistake. "Speak up then."

Philip better choose his words more wisely.

"Among the vile rumors surrounding the Ghost of Vermil, there was one about the Viscount Rupert's youngest son. He died in the Vermilon Residence. Is that right?"