Encounter

It had been several years since you met the children of the Wood Elf Ambassador, and since then, the three of you have become inseparable. After the fiasco with the muggers, the twins promptly invited you back to their caravan to be introduced to their father, the Ambassador for the Naedra Domain. Aerith hadn’t lied when he said that male Wood Elves were rather androgynous, based on how you almost mistook their father for their mother. His feminine mannerisms did nothing to help your understanding of the differences between the two. Lord Lorenth of the Naedra Domain was simply delighted to meet his son’s savior and swore to repay the favor in kind. Naturally, you refused such an offer, which caused the Ambassador to insist simply. With nothing really coming to your mind, you just asked if you could continue seeing his children, unknowingly your words eliciting the twins to blush. After moments of awkward silence, he appeared to look resigned to defeat and gave you his blessing, which, though you were confused about why he worded it like that, you were happy with. Unfortunately, before you could clarify his meaning, the twins pulled you away to avoid further embarrassment.

Since then, Aerith and Sarya have become something akin to being your best friends. Aerith was a kind soul and balanced out the recklessness you sometimes brought, while Sarya seemed only to add fuel to your fire. Sarya often teased that the two of you were the perfect couple, an attempt to poke fun at your initial meeting. You’d never let that down, not that Sarya would let you forget. Fortunately, she always seemed to clam up when you tease her with words implying that you’d rather be a couple with her. For some reason, this would, in turn, irk Aerith, who would then give you the cold shoulder for a while. You decided at that point that you’d never understand Wood Elves.

A side effect of getting to know the twins was gaining access to their race’s knowledge on worldly energy. Something that proved to be quite vital in understanding your own inner energy. With Aerith by your side, you’ve not only enhanced your already capable skills with Ki, but learned tricks and techniques that you would have never thought of under Madame Kendri’s tutelage. Who would have thought you could hit stuff with Ki without touching them?! Only downside was firing off blasts of Ki tended to drain you much quicker, which ended up with you passing out the first few times it happened. However, Aerith and Sarya tended to fight over whose lap your head got to rest in. I guess it was just another Wood Elf thing you didn’t understand, as when you asked to reciprocate the notion, they’d shy away. Wood Elves were weird.

Anyways, with your newfound and enhanced abilities, city martial arts tournaments became a breeze! You even managed to get your own place with the winnings from them. Based on how often you would find them over to hang out, the twins seemed pretty excited by that. Aerith even cooked for you pretty often! What a good friend. Sarya tried a couple of times but the tomboy’s creations looked more like alchemical projects than actual food. Aerith banned her from the kitchen after the horseradish fiasco.

All in all, life was good. You had friends, a place to live, and the skills to fight and protect them. But you wanted more, and the perfect opportunity showed itself after you won this most recent competition. The Grand Tournament had finally arrived, and you were Humanities Champion.

It was the morning of the First of Furdur, the summer month named after the God of Victory. When better was it for the Grand Tournament to be hosted than under the blessing of the mighty God of battle? Warriors of sixteen different races would come together in the war-blessed city of Del Sentas in the Kingdom of Sorus and fight one another for the Grand Champion Title. Riches, renown, and glory went to the winner, and pride went toward their race. It was in this tournament that you represented the Human race. No pressure.

You arose to the smell of food in the air. The alluring aroma of meat the drowsiness away. You would think that the smell and sound of someone cooking in your home would be concerning if you lived alone. But this was a regular occurrence in your household. ‘Gods bless you, Aerith.’

You lept out of bed and threw on a simple shirt as you stumbled your way to your kitchen. Behind the stove was the angel who kept you fed these past few years.

“Mornin’ Aerith.” You called out to the humming elf.

The elf cut off his song and turned to give his beloved friend a wide smile. “Ah, good morning, my friend. Apologies for using your kitchen. I much prefer yours than the one provided at the embassy.”

You chuckled at the familiar apology as you sat at the dining table. “And like I tell you every time you say that. You are always welcome to my home.”

“Indeed.” The elf nodded happily. “Sarya will be by soon. I sent her for some more eggs on our way here.”

“Ah, I was gonna ask. Usually, she’s the one who wakes me up.” You spoke as you recalled all the times your female friend woke you up by jumping into your bed. You then noticed that he had a case of eggs beside him for cooking. “Wait, I thought you said she went to get eggs?”

Aerith snickered as he placed a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast before you. “Today’s an important day for you, so I decided to let you sleep in a bit.”

You get it. “Ah. You are a benevolent angel, my friend.”

Your friend's face grew rosy as he fixed himself a plate and sat at the dining table with you. A few moments passed with idle chatter before a whirlwind slammed into your front door.

“Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!!!!!!!” A loud voice echoed through the home. Wind magic allowing it to carry much more than a typical shout.

You sighed and hoped you didn’t need to repair yet another door. “In here, Sarya! Aerith got breakfast ready.”

“He what!?” The sound of footsteps stomped closer until the face of a rather annoyed she-elf was revealed. She ground her teeth. “I thought you said we needed eggs…”

Aerith shrugged while trying to hide his smile. “Looks like we had some, after all. My greatest apologies, Sister.”

“Conniving little…” She dismissed her brother and focused her gaze on you. Instantly, her expression changed as she lept toward you. “Reeeeeeeen!!!”

You just managed to catch her in time to stop her from crashing into your heavenly breakfast. “Mornin’ Sarya. How are you today?”

“Better now…” She mumbled into your chest.

You didn’t quite catch it, though. “What was that?”

She tore herself out of your embrace. “I said, I should be asking you that! Today’s the big day! Aren’t you excited!”

“Hell yeah, I am! Going to kick some ass.” You grinned and punched a fist into the air. “Though shouldn’t you be asking your brother too? He’s representing the Wood Elves, after all.”

“Bah, he can eat dirt.” She spat as she sat down at the table with her own plate of food. “Stupid Druid. It should’ve been me!”

“Not according to the council, dearest Sister,” Aerith commented with a rather smug expression.

Sarya’s eye twitched. “Kiss asses. I had you beat, and you know it!”

“Even after being wrapped up in several trees’ worth of roots.” You teased.

She stuck out her tongue at you in response.

You never grew bored of having breakfast like this. Something you missed since you left the orphanage. There’s a thought: maybe you could visit Mother Lana before the tournament. It’s been a minute since you last saw her.

“So Ren.” Aerith turned to you with a serious expression that you knew all too well. “What do you have planned before the tournament later? From what we’ve been told, we should arrive sometime before noon. So you have a few hours at least.”

Sarya’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, come with me for some last-minute training! A few extra reps won’t hurt.”

“Or perhaps some meditative time to gather your Ki. I know you’ve said in the past you’ve always felt stronger when you’ve done so. I’d join you for that if you’d like. Though it’s up to you.”

You thought through your options and came to your decision. “Actually, I was just thinking it’s been a while since I’ve been by the orphanage. Think I want to go pay Mother Lana a visit.”

“If you say so,” Aerith responded, somewhat disappointed in your decision.

“Boo.” Sarya whined as she puffed her cheeks into a pout. “You must be mighty confident then, aren’t ya?”

“You could say that.” You grinned. “I got two of the best folk in the kingdom supporting me. How could I not be?”

“W-well you better win! We didn’t train a loser, ya know!” The tomboy stuttered as she shared a healthy blush with her twin.

With breakfast wrapped up, you helped clean up the dishes and then headed back up to your room to finish getting prepared for the day. After a quick cleaning routine, you threw on your competition outfit, complete with the hand wraps Madame Kendri gave you upon your “graduation.” You could practically feel the enchantments they provided with your Ki whenever you wore them. An enhanced defense that could block most blades and a simple auto-repairing enchantment that could stitch the cloth right back to its original shape. They even could change colors to match your tastes! Madame Kendri never disclosed how she got them, just that she “knew a guy.” Well, regardless, these hand wraps have been by your side throughout your journey and have been instrumental to your success. They are your prized possession.

Equipped and ready for the day, you returned to your friends to see them off.

“Remember Ren, before Noon.” Aerith reminded you with a stern expression as he adjusted your collar. How sweet of him.

“I got it, I got it. When have I ever been late!” The twins shared a blank expression. With a sigh and a few words of farewell, the twins started heading back to the embassy for some last-minute preparations. On the other hand, you intended to make good on your idea of visiting Mother Lana. As such, you began navigating the city toward the place you once called home.

The second you stepped onto the cobblestone street, you could feel the excitement in the air. As you lived closer to the merchant’s district, you could hear the many vendors peddling their wares while others prepared for one of the year's busiest and most lucrative days. The Grand Tournament brought people from all around the Kingdom and beyond through their stalls and stores, so they’d be fools not to get started early.

Meandering through the bustling marketplace, you couldn’t help but stop and buy a bushel of apples from one of the few stalls you frequent.

As you approached, a spark of recognition flickered in the young-looking halfling's eyes. “Ah, Mr. Ren. ‘Ere for some more apples, aye?”

“You know I love them, Mr. Stumbletoe.” You chuckled as you pulled out your coin purse and passed some coin to the merchant. “And so does Saint Cruz.”

“Aye, they do.” The Halfling gives you a sincere smile before handing back some of your coin. “You’re a good kid, laddie. Good luck today.”

You shared an understanding nod with the vendor and hoisted the bushel of apples over your shoulder. From there, you carried on your way toward your former home. Saint Cruz’s Home for Children sat on the other side of the Tasa River, dividing the city in two. Fortunately, where you lived was a short jaunt from one of the three great bridges that span the river width. With your pace, you quickly traversed the bridge and found yourself in one of the older districts of the capital. Instantly, you were met by the sight of the older, more worn-down architecture that has stood here for decades, possibly centuries.

Despite the age that wore down the area, the excitement from the day's festivities was equal to the other side of the bridge. Children were out playing in the streets as old men shared life stories. You somewhat missed this atmosphere. If it weren’t for the twin's insistence on moving closer to the Wood Elf Embassy, you’d imagine that you would have picked somewhere on this side of the river to live. There was something about the worn-down streets and close-knit community here that felt more real than anywhere else. The people here were hardy, something you have proven yourself.

Finally, you approached the aging building that had been your home for much of your childhood. Saint Cruz’s Home for Children was a formidable structure, its weathered stone walls standing tall against the passage of time. You briefly chuckled when you saw that the main sign of the building was decorated with silly chalk drawings. Memories floated by from when you tended to do the same things, though Mother would say your drawings tended to be rather vulgar. You pushed open the massive wooden door and were immediately greeted by the pitter-patter of many tiny feet rushing toward you.

“Ren!” The group of several children called out, tackling you before you could venture further.

You carefully kept the bushel of apples from falling out of your hands as you greeted them. “Hey guys, got some apples for you.”

The children cheered and quickly grabbed apples, busying themselves with the sweet treat. You turned to one of the older children, a catfolk named Geoff. “Hey, where’s Mother Lana at?”

Geoff’s ears perked up at the question, then pointed toward the back offices. “She’s in the back. Some pretty boy in armor came to visit her, and they’ve been talking ever since.”

“Oh?” Curiosity began building along with some protectiveness. “...I think I’ll go say hey. Mind watching the apples?”

The young catfolk saluted. “On it, Boss!”

With a salute of your own, you ventured to the back rooms, where you could overhear a velvety deep voice along with some feminine giggling. The urge to bust into the room began to overwhelm you, but for Mother's sake, you calmed down your protective instinct and knocked firmly on the wooden door. You coughed, then spoke loudly. “Hey, Mother! It’s Ren! Brought you some apples!”

“Oh! Come on in, dear!” Mother Lana replied with her angelic voice.

Without wasting a moment, you opened the door firmly and were greeted with a sight you’d never expected. The hairs on your arm tingled as you felt the almost electrifying aura surrounding the gold and blue knight before you. The man had golden hair and a chiseled face that seemed both young and old at the same time. However, the most intriguing part of him was his bright yellow eyes with slit-shaped pupils that appeared to focus on your every move. Even with one look at this knight, every fiber of your being knew one simple fact. This man was dangerous. Something your Mother seemed to be utterly oblivious to.

“Ren Dear!” Mother Lana crossed the room and gave you a tight hug. “So good to see you. Am I finally cool enough for my dear son to visit?”

“Of course you are, mother! I just..” As much as you wanted to make a witty reply, the oppressive aura the knight gave off continued to distract you.

“Hm? Is something wrong?” Mother Lana questioned as she noticed your visible uncomfortableness. She quickly looked over your body and had an epiphany. She turned toward her companion and smacked him upside the head. “Quit teasing the boy, Otar!”

The knight chuckled, and the aura vanished. “Sorry, Lana. I couldn’t help myself. You were right, though. His instincts are sharp. Had you not intervened, he may have taken action.”

“Uhg, boys.” Mother rolled her eyes.

The golden knight stood from his chair and gave you a small bow. “Apologies young man. My name is Otarzia. After Lana gave you such an ecstatic appraisal, I had to see the man the Saint of Del Sentas called son.”

‘Saint of Del Sentas?’ You thought as you took in the form of your mother.

“Oh please, you know I dislike being called that.” Mother waved off as she grabbed a cup of tea for you. “I am but a simple Matron now. Titles such as that are beyond me.”

“So you say.” The knight gave her a warm smile. He then took your place by the door. “It was a pleasure seeing you again, my dear friend. I promise to make my visits more timely in the future.”

Then he turned his piercing gaze back to you. Once more, you felt a subtle jolt course through you. “And to you, young man. I expect great things from you.”

With those final words, the knight in golden armor left the orphanage behind.

“That man… Always looking for a fight.” Mother huffed at the retreating figure. “I swear he never changes.”

Questions formed in your mind from this random encounter, but foremost, you had to ask. “Who was he?”

“An old friend.” Mother looked on softly at first but then looked at you with almost a worried look. “And your competition.”

**********

AN: A preview of what's to come? Perhaps a wall that must be climbed. Tune in next time to find out!