Just under a month later, Akai, Lamorie, and Kidd were all at a table set up in the village center. Quick decor set up around them as music filled the air. The three currently eating from a feast of breads, cheese, pastries, grilled meats, fruits, and a few dozen other dishes the people of Rowan village had prepared. They were throwing their festival a few days early so the three famous kids could enjoy it. Today was the day the group was scheduled to leave for Thedifell. Currently, a caravan with the royal army was on its way to pick them up and any other awakened on the route through the lands south of the capital city.
“Here you go, I say you’re old enough to give these a proper try.” Lamorie’s father Drake said. Setting down three large tankards of still bubbling booze. “That goes for the whole lot of ya.”
Akai, Lamorie, and Kidd looked at the tankards with a bit of a start. Kidd swallowing his food first to say “You’re letting us try the strong stuff?” and Drake nodded. “Of course, you won’t be back for a while so now’s as good of a time as any.”
Akai said “but we’ve had ale before.” and Drake said “You’ve had the watered down shite on special occasions, growing kids don’t need none of this but right now you three are over halfway grown. A tankard ain’t going to hurt, besides… This batch came out stronger than usual. The Browan family who made it wanted you to give it a taste first.”
Akai saw the tankard get pushed towards him, he was being volunteered first to try it. With a bit of hesitation, he said something he heard his father sometimes say. “Don’t leave room for cowards.” before starting to drink it. After a few gulps he pulled away and was coughing. Drake started laughing up a storm as he said “Not used to the burn, are ya boy?” and walked around, patting Akai’s back.
“This batch came out to over twenty percent, normally it’s around ten and you usually drink the stuff less than four.”
Kidd was curious about it now and gave his tankard a swig. He got about just as far drinking it as Akai did before also breaking into a coughing fit. Lamorie just gave a shrug and tilted hers back as well. Before long, she was coughing and hitting her chest.
Drake just ruffled Lamorie’s hair a little and said “Ya don’t have to finish it, but what do you think about it?”
Akai said it was too strong, Kidd said he liked it but agreed it was strong. Lamorie said it was a little too bitter.
“You hear that!?” Drake called out to one of the other villagers, likely the brewer. He began walking off and repeating what the kids said. Akai decided to drink more but when he started to feel a little tipsy, he stopped. He didn’t like the slightly dizzy feeling. Kidd had a little more just to prove a point he could and Lamorie didn’t touch it after her first try.
The celebrations continued for a good hour longer before the music began to stop. Someone on the far end of the village shouting “Caravan!”
Getting up and leaving, Akai, Kidd, and Lamorie walked over to the southern end of the village. There they saw 8 nice looking carriages drawn by burly looking horses. Around the carriages was a company of soldiers on horseback and more on foot behind. All wearing the royal insignia proudly on their chest as members of the royal army.
Stepping from the lead carriage was a rather scrawny looking man with short blonde hair. He was wearing a nice set of dress clothes. He soon approached the gathering villagers alongside the clearly marked commander of the mounted soldiers.
“We are here to receive three young awakened, Two boys and a girl.” The well dressed man said. The villagers then began ushering Akai and his friends to the front of the crowd. Gently pushing them to step forwards.
“Yes, It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Esquire Coddsworth.” He said, speaking formally and giving a bow. “Am I right to assume you are Akai Ryneveld, Lamorie Holt, and Kidd Fuller?”
Akai said “Yes, that’s us.” As he looked past the Esquire and peered at the carriages. He had never ridden in one before so he had to ask “Are we going to be riding in those?”
Coddsworth stood up and turned around before saying “Of course. But before we can leave I just need a little demonstration, just to prove you have received blessings.”
Without much hesitation, Kidd enveloped himself in a maelstrom of crackling electricity. Rising from his feet before he raised a hand and the bolt shot upwards into the sky. There was, however, no thunder. Only a brief buzzing sound.
Lamorie coated a leg in shimmering green energy and stomped her foot on a moderately sized rock, pulverizing it into dust which shot outwards from the sudden force.
Akai was the last one, bringing forth a brief aura of fire, both mundane orange and empowered yellow fire mixed together. He only maintained it for a few moments before it was dispelled and wisps of smoke rose from under his feet. The grass had been burnt.
“Excelent, no hesitation.. Come, come, we’ll get you situated in a carriage.” Coddsworth said. But before the kids moved forwards to go, they looked back and saw the crowd of villagers made way for their parents to stand at the front.
Drake and Emmie Holt, Christie and Liam Fuller, and lastly Rei and Jennifer Ryneveld stood expectantly.
In unison, the kids ran to their parents and embraced them in tight hugs. Christie was struggling not to break into tears, sniffling as she wrapped her arms around Kidd. Emmie and Drake tightly hugged Lamorie, Rei and Jennifer held Akai closely.
Rei said “Do well, son. But promise you’ll come back to visit when you can.”, causing Akai to nod. Their goodbye dragged on for another minute before the mounted commander coughed to get attention. He said “I apologize, but we are in a little bit of a hurry. Take 5 minutes for your goodbyes, but be ready to board a carriage by then.”.
The commander then steered his horse away from the village to get back to the front of the escort for the caravan to do his duties.
Akai and his friends took advantage of the 5 minute window given. He made sure to give his goodbyes to some of the other villagers, the old herbalist did give him a small gift. He had been given an extra potent tub of burn cream she made. Akai thanked the old woman and soon rejoined the group south of the village.
Lamorie had been doing the same but Kidd found himself caught up talking with Lacy about things.. They had yet to rejoin with the group..
Kidd looked up at Lacy who had pulled him aside for a moment. Lacy had grown into a lovely young woman, Kidd remembered when she had first arrived. Akai and Lamorie are talking about a new girl just showing up to his house one day. He was told greatly exaggerated things about Lacy’s lingering injuries and scars, he didn’t care much about the scars and still thought he was beautiful. Especially now that he was a teenager.
“You are going to come back, right..?” Lacy asked.
“Of course I am!” Kidd said in return.
Lacy gently grabbed Kidd’s hand and placed a folded note on his palm. He looked a bit confused. “What’s this?” He asked, looking at it.
Lacy looked uncertain about something as she said “Don’t read it until you stop for the night, okay?”
Kidd nodded and he soon saw Lacy’s look of uncertainty resolve itself into sureness. He nearly fell backwards when Lacy leaned in and planted her lips on his own for a moment. Kidd’s face turned as red as his eyes and hair. Lacy looked into his eyes and said “Promise me you’ll come back soon.”
Kidd was completely flustered, not expecting what just happened. He had a little crush on Lacy but never in a million years expected their first kiss to be this sudden. He stammered, unable to speak clearly for a moment before shaking his head to collect his thoughts.
Kidd steeled himself and said firmly “I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
The smile that formed on Lacy’s face was enough to melt Kidd’s younger heart before she straightened her posture and said “you have to go now.”
Kidd reluctantly decided to leave, he didn’t have much of a choice. His participation in the academy and then the military was mandatory because of his powers. But he swore inwardly to himself and to Ankhou that he would be back before too long.
Kidd struggled to get the redness from his face to go away but managed to have enough composure when he met back up with Akai and Lamorie.. Then the Esquire greeted them again and usher them to carriages.. He didn’t split up Akai and Kidd, but did make Lamorie take a different carriage that had another girl around their age from a different village already sitting inside.
Within minutes, the carriages were moving and the soldiers walked ahead. Many of the villagers waved goodbye to the group as they headed further south.
Following a road, the caravan trucked along without much issue. If there were any bands of brigands in the area, the large gathering of royal army soldiers was a pretty good deterrent. If not, the feeling of intense power in the air from the carriages filled with awakened.
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Akai relaxed on the bench seat inside and asked “Are all carriages like this? This is really over the top.” Akai said, Kidd lounged in his seat and said “No idea but you’re not wrong.”
It was a few hours later and Akai looked out the window. He saw some of the other carriages riding by them and looked through them, trying to see if he could see Lamorie. By now, both Akai and Kidd were bored out of their minds. He peered out and when he thought he saw Lamorie and took a deep breath. Akai summoned some of his fire and blew it forwards. The wisp of flame shot forward and took the form of a bird, flapping its wings to look like it was flying. Soon, it went far enough away Akai struggled to maintain its form, dissolving into flames.
After a second, a girl Akai had never seen before poked her head out of the window. She had the same hairstyle that Lamorie had but otherwise looked nothing alike. She gave Akai a confused look, then probably got the wrong idea because she gave a weird look at him and quickly sat back down normally.
From behind, Akai felt something hit the back of his head. He turned and Lamorie was in the carriage behind him, not in front of him. He gave a sheepish smile and Lamorie just rolled her eyes. She did have to shout a little to be heard over the clopping of hooves and the sounds of the carriage rolling over the road. “What are you doing?”
“I was trying to get your attention.. I thought that was you in that carriage.” Akai admitted. Which only awarded him with an indignant look from Lamorie.
“She looks nothing like me!” She shouted louder than necessary.
Akai pointed at his hair and said “You have similar hair.”
His answer only seemed to annoy Lamorie further. She puffed her cheeks in a pout before sitting back down in her carriage, no longer leaning her head out of the window to talk.
Kidd erupted into laughter behind Akai.
“Whats so funny?” Akai asked but Kidd only laughed more. Soon managing to speak through his laughter “You always say either the smoothest thing or the dumbest thing when it comes to girls.”
Frustrated, Akai sat down and tried to ignore Kidd. He closed his eyes and just started meditating, practicing drawing forth his golden yellow fire without hurting himself to kill the rest of the time.
That evening, the caravan did stop to make camp for the night. Soldiers came through and gave out blankets to the awakened that didn’t bring their own.. Akai, Kidd, and Lamorie had actually forgotten their packs, thinking more about saying their farewells instead of grabbing them from their homes. But thankfully, someone brought the packs for them.
Akai and Kidd set up to sleep just outside the carriage as the horses were unhooked and led away to be fed and watered. Akai was still being given weird looks by the girl on the front carriage but Lamorie must have gotten over the mix up. She set up a bedroll between Akai and Kidds.
It may have been seen as improper by some of the others, but none of the three really cared. Their village wasn’t super prudish about things, not like some of the stories Christie told about the city she lived in, at least among the affluent people.
The three chatted, joked around, but eventually went to bed.. Kidd, though, stayed up a little longer. He pulled the folded note from a pocket in his clothes and opened it to read it.
It was a hand written letter from Lacy. The girl went through the trouble to make it seem super nice, writing in careful clean handwriting. She even made the note smell faintly like a flower. He read through it and realized it was a heart felt love note. Kidd’s face flushed as he realized and read it, Lacy poured her heart out into the note.. Detailing how she first started to catch feelings for her during the first festival they danced together. She knew she was too old to enter a normal relationship with him but that wouldn’t be a problem when he comes back, either during or after his time as a soldier once he graduates the academy.
Kidd smiled when he finished reading it, Lacy promising to be there for him when he comes back. He folded the note and carefully tucked it away in his belongings. He decided to hold onto the note until he had seen this thing through.
The group slept, but their sleep was more restless than usual. Come morning, it seems most of the other awakened being transported were having the same issue. The teens were handed out breakfast by some of the soldiers in charge of caring for them during the trip. They didn’t speak much, not because of them being rude or anything, just tired from either marching or riding horseback the entire way. Akai still made sure to tell them thanks when he could.
The food wasn’t anything special, bowls of stews made out of beans, meat, root vegetables, and bread. But it was warm and filling.
This would be their routine for another 2 days, they were told the boys and girls had to ride separately so Lamorie was stuck along with strangers. Akai and Kidd at least had each other, even when they stopped at a different small village and picked up another.. They did overhear that they were already picking up more than expected so far.. Either some people hadn’t reported their awakening until now, or they had awakened between summer and now..
The next stop had another boy they had no record of with a blessing. He was sat in the same carriage Akai and Kidd was in. He was a scrawny kid with short dusty brown hair. 14 as well, but they didn’t quite look it yet.
Akai and Kidd tried to ask a few questions to make small talk, but he seemed reluctant to speak with strangers.
The ride was boring as they eventually reached the southern most town on the coast. Not as big as Elmswick city but was much larger than the villages they had been stopping at so far. The caravan came to a stop and they were told they had a few hours to themselves as the caravan was going to stock up on supplies and pick up the last people before heading north to Thedifell. Akai, Kidd, and Lamorie finally got to get up and stretch their legs. The scrawny kid decided to stay in the carriage for now.
Kidd and Akai met back up with Lamorie who seemed excited. She immediately grabbed their arms and said “I want to see the beach!” as she began dragging them in the direction of the ocean, not exactly letting them have a choice in the matter.. Seeing Lamorie do this, some of the other teenagers decided to go along as well. Most of them had never seen the ocean in person before.
Soon they were stepping onto a sandy beach just up from where the town had some docks built. Lamorie let go of her silver and red headed friends and took a deep breath. “The air really does feel salty” She muttered.
“You’re right. I read about it in a book but it’s cool it really is like that.” Kidd added, still rubbing his arm where Lamorie had been holding it a little too tight for comfort.
He stepped onto the sand and looked out into the water. He saw little fish a little smaller than his fingers swimming in one direction. There were a few crabs in the distance as well.. Soon, a lot of the other awakened teens arrived and were having similar reactions to Lamorie.
Akai looked out at the water. They were facing south and far in the distance were a number of islands right around where the horizon was. He thought he saw a bit of movement just on the edge of where he could see, but after trying to focus in on it he couldn’t see it anymore.
“You know, they probably sell seafood in the town. Don’t you want to try and eat something like that?” Kidd asked, catching Akai and Lamorie’s attention. Lamorie’s face lit up with excitement and said “Yes, that sounds amazing!”
She was very giddy at the idea of being next to the ocean apparently, Akai thought to himself. He nodded and decided to tag along. Kidd would lead the way as they left the beach and headed towards the town, set on finding someone selling food.
Heading to the town and finding a market set up around the docks, they did find a stall selling fresh cooked food. The stall was selling a delicacy among education professionals, steamed clams that weren’t steamed nor actual clams. Lamorie found it first by following her nose and soon she, Kidd, and Akai were standing in front of it. The shop was ran by a very skinny man with one heck of a mustache. One that would put the Esquire escorting their caravan to shame.
“Ah, I don’t think I’ve seen you lot before.” he said, stirring a pot of heavily seasoned broth.
“We’re here with the caravan for the awakened academy.” Kidd said. Lamorie was already pulling out a coin purse and asking “how much for this, I don’t know what it is but I want some.”
The stall owner gave a little chuckle and said “eight copper a bowl, get six back when you return the bowl.”
Lamorie happily paid for a bowl and saw the man scoop out contents of the broth into it. There were these things in black shells and strange pieces of meat that kind of looked like crayfish meat but were much more curled. The guy said “If you’ve never eaten a mussel before, here’s a little piece of advice. Don’t crack your teeth on the shells, just use the spoon to pick out the meat.”
Lamorie nodded quickly and grabbed the wooden bowl of steaming food. The broth smelled kinda like cooked fish but very different, plus it had a bunch of local spices in it that turned it reddish in color.
She used a spoon to carefully taste it. After a few moments she looked at her friends and said “It’s really, really good. I’ve never tasted anything like this before! It even makes my mouth feel really hot after.”
Curious, Akai and Kidd having never tasted anything spicy before, paid for a bowl as well and stood around. Each of their faces lit up, the flavors were entirely new to them and they each loved it. Akai especially loved the spiciness and learned that there are local fruits that create the heat sensation.
By the time the three had finished their bowls, the food stand took the bowls back and dumped the empty mussel shells into a bin before cleaning the bowls off. As he was doing this, the group heard from other people in the town “What is that?” “Is that a boat?” “Hey, I think there’s someone in it”
Turning, from around one of the distant islands was someone in a narrow boat with something off to the side attached to it. The person was standing and using a paddle. The three watched in confusion as they and everyone else saw someone with red hair just as colorful as Kidd’s slowly bring themselves closer to the beach. Soon, more detail came into play. They were wearing an oriental black sleeveless dress with golden embroidery of a water dragon on it.. And the most shocking part for the 3 kids was that this person looked human, but had definitive wolf ears on their head and a red tail the same shade as their hair behind them. And this seeming half beastkin woman was around Akai and his friends age.
When the canoe dug itself onto the sand, she grabbed and slung a pack over her shoulder and held the scabbard to an oriental sword reminiscent of the style the Great Isles use.. If this girl was from the Great Isles, she must have been on that canoe for over a week. The Great Isles was a nation of various clans that resided at least a week’s sailing south of Legonia, the southernmost point of land on this half of the world.
The girl shouted “I am Langyao, Heiress to the Lang Clan! I greet the people of Legonia. I demand to be taken to your awakened academy!”
She spoke with an accent, having a difficult time pronouncing some of the common sounds of the language Akai spoke. Now that Akai took a moment to think, he hadn’t heard anyone speak a different language or had learned what his language was even called.. Hopefully that’s something they’ll teach him at the academy.
When Langyao’s stark blue eyes moved over Akai and their gazes met, she stopped to look at him. Akai felt the heat in his chest react to this girl.. His power sought out a connection with it not too dissimilar to what he felt when he was presented with the relic of the Immortal Hero.. Did she have the same blessing?
She glared at him and held out her hand. Pointing the handle of the sword at Akai and said “You, You’re blessed.” before squinting and gesturing at Akai and Lamorie. “All three are blessed.”
Akai felt like he was put on the spot being singled out by this girl first, but none of the locals seemed to be interested in getting involved. He said “Yeah, We are.. We’re actually here because of the Academy”
This girl who looked like a red wolf in human form stomped through the sand to get onto paved ground and stood in front of him.. “You will take me there.” she demanded.
