WoLyse Week 2024: Day 6 - Future
Lyse awoke to the sound of combat.
This wasn’t particularly unusual, given she was sleeping in her wife’s private quarters in the school. Training would-be adventurers in the ways of self-defence was the aim of those hallowed halls, after all. But two things about the clamour were. Firstly, the voice she could hear crying out in rage and frustration was unfamiliar to her. Lyse wasn’t familiar enough to put names to the faces of all of Arashi’s students, but she had learned to differentiate their voices. Arashi wasn’t looking to enrol anyone else, if her constant complaints about full hands were anything to go by.
Secondly, there was only one voice, but from the ring of steel against steel there were clearly two combatants. Meaning Arashi herself was locked in battle with an interloper.
Adrenaline spiked, panic gave speed. Lyse was moving before she could think. It took mere moments for the red-tinged blur to reach the source of the noise. Sure enough, Arashi was present. As was a large, lanky Raen boy, armed with a katana and screaming in fury. Trying desperately to find a way through Arashi’s guard. Failing.
Arashi had spoken before of her sister’s talent, of reaching a point beyond calm and becoming a force to be reckoned with by shutting out the world. Arashi herself claimed she had never been able to replicate it herself, but seeing her so easily dodging, deflecting and outmanoeuvring her opponent, Lyse wondered just how true that was. Arashi’s face was slack, void of emotion as she fought. But Lyse saw the glint in her eye before the killing blow was struck. The boy didn’t. In a flash of steel he was disarmed, the sword flung to the floor. In another flash he was defeated, a blade to his throat.
“That would be my win, I think.” Arashi’s voice was as calm and matter-of-fact as if she had been discussing the weather. The boy, breathing heavily, stared daggers at her. His great shaggy mane of snow-white hair was clinging to his scalp, drenched in sweat. But he had not a scratch on him. A test, then, not a true battle. Then Arashi turned to face Lyse with a smile. “Sorry if we woke you, dear.” The boy was forgotten for a moment. A moment was all he needed.
With a scream of rage he pounced forward, a knife suddenly in hand and poised to strike Arashi in her throat. He didn’t get that far.
[TRUE STRIKE]
Fist met face with a sickening crack. The boy was flung to one side. He clattered to the ground with a groan of pain. Lyse ignored the slight throb in her hand as she turned to ensure Arashi was unharmed. It was then that she realised just how close Arashi’s own blade was to Lyse’s face, where the boy’s knife had previously been. Of course she was preparing her own counter. So many summers of retirement from adventuring had done nothing to dull her skills, despite it all.
Arashi took a steadying breath, sheathed her sword, gave Lyse a thankful nod. Then she was striding over to the boy, who was currently rubbing his jaw in obvious pain. Lyse hoped she hadn’t broken anything. She’d tried to pull her punch, but she had a nasty habit of letting her emotions put a little too much strength into her strikes. Arashi held out a hand to the lad, clearly not particularly impressed with his trick but willing to put it aside. The boy hesitated for a moment, then took the hand.
Standing upright, he towered over both women with ease. But the look on his face was one of a scolded child, not a proud warrior. He looked rather young, perhaps seventeen or eighteen summers old. His skin was nigh as pale as his hair where it wasn’t covered in scales. He was rather skinny, but Lyse could see the corded muscles that he had clearly spent some time in building. But it was his eyes that drew Lyse’s attention. They were the same shade of blue that she saw when she first entered the Ruby Sea, all those years ago. Bright and electric and mesmerising. And… familiar, somehow. Like someone she’d seen in a dream, a long time ago. Strange.
“Not bad, but you were much too obvious.” Arashi’s voice cut through the air. Stern, appraising, her teaching voice she’d spent a long time mastering. “You’ve a long way to go. Now, why don’t we get an ice crystal for that jaw and you can tell me why you demanded this bout in the first place.” The boy grimaced at the assessment, but nodded and allowed himself to be led to the infirmary. Lyse followed close behind, not exactly trusting him not to try something again but willing at least to trust her wife’s judgement.
It wasn’t long before the three of them were seated in the empty infirmary. Lyse hadn’t taken her eyes off the interloper, aside from the occasional glance at Arashi. She had been filled in on the boy’s story so far, how he had apparently appeared in the Lochs aetheryte, promptly emptied the contents of his stomach, then demanded that the master of Storm’s School of Combat answered his challenge to a duel. He hadn’t shut up until someone had directed him towards the school itself, at which point he had nigh-sprinted to the doors and immediately challenged the first Raen woman he’d seen. Which, thankfully for him, was Arashi herself.
What Arashi had not been able to discern was the reason for his challenge in the first place. She had no idea who he was, nor did he give his name when asked. He was a tornado of mystery and anger, refusing all else but a duel with the fabled Warrior of Light. Now, however, it was time for answers.
“My name is Tenzin.” His voice was a low baritone, rough with exhaustion but still captivating. “I came to test myself against the strongest warrior in the land. I failed. I’m not strong enough yet.” Simple enough so far, but the pair could have figured that out themselves. He was clearly hiding something more. Strong enough for what?
Arashi said nothing, simply stared at Tenzin in silence. Lyse hadn’t missed the way her eyebrows raised when she heard the name, though. Lyse dimly recalled Arashi’s encounter with the Four Lords, of their shared grief over the legendary warrior who shared the boy’s name. It was certainly an auspicious legacy to be given. Now, however, her face had returned to its stony state. Waiting for the boy to fill the silence. Eventually he did.
“My sister has been kidnapped.” Tenzin spoke the words calmly, but neither woman failed to notice the strain in his voice. “We were travelling together, visiting our relatives in Doma, when bandits fell upon us. I fought them, but they hit me with a cowardly attack from behind and overpowered me. They would have ended me, but my sister fell upon them in a fury. They… they took her. Vanished down the One River. That’s why I came here. To fight you. To prove I could return and save her.” His gaze was fierce, but fixed directly at the floor. “But I failed. And now my sister is…”
Lyse saw the fire blaze in Arashi’s eyes and knew what was about to happen. With a sigh, Lyse laid a hand on Arashi’s shoulder. “Do what you need to. I’ll warn Hien that the Warrior of Light is about to take matters into her own hands.” Strictly speaking, Arashi had no right to barge into Doma and make a royal mess of a bandit camp, but Hien was lenient enough as long as he was given prior warning. As were a great deal of the other nations’ leaders. Arashi had enough good faith to cash in on a few rampages, as long as they were righteous. Several of her students had come from stunned spectators watching her carve a path through men and monsters alike.
Arashi gave Lyse a thankful smile, then turned to Tenzin. “Which way did they go down the river? North or south?”
Tenzin looked confused for a moment, then responded. “South, I think. But what are you-?”
“Taking care of Hien’s problems for him. Again.” For all the lord of Doma spoke of restoring his great nation, he still had a long way to go. Particularly in ensuring his people were not so desperate as to turn to banditry to make their way in life. “Stay here. I’ll be back soon.” Then Arashi vanished with a soft pop. Lyse excused herself, then strode outside to hail Hien.
“Hien, it’s me! … Yes, I know it’s been a while, but- … No, listen! Arashi’s on her way to- … No, not to visit. We’ve had a visitor and- … No, your soldiers won’t be enough, so- … Well, it’s too late now! Arashi’s already teleported! … Look, send Sanda or Yugiri after her if you must, but- … Don’t take that tone with me! I’m trying- … Ugh! Fine, be that way. But she’ll be long gone by then, you know.”
Hien had not been particularly pleased to hear that Arashi was taking matters into her own hands again, but he knew better than anyone that she couldn’t be stopped when she got the idea in her head. A Dark Knight’s justice was absolute, and delivering mercy to those others overlooked was her call to action. Besides, Hien was all bluster. He would forget about it in time. And perhaps Lyse could make a gift of some Dalmascan Red to smooth things over in the meantime…
A new sound broke through the quiet. Tenzin was crying. Lyse was back in the infirmary in a blink, arms wrapping comfortingly around the boy. “She’ll be alright,” she said, kneeling down to meet Tenzin’s downcast gaze. She wasn’t sure if she meant Tenzin’s sister or Arashi, but she believed it without reservation. Tenzin clearly didn’t believe her, but he nodded anyway. “This isn’t the first time this has happened, you know.” Lyse continued on. “You wouldn’t believe how many people have barged in and challenged Arashi to a fight. And not once have I ever had to intervene. You’re stubborn. I assume it runs in the family?” Tenzin nodded mutely.
Lyse couldn’t help but smile. “Must be an au ra thing, then. You wouldn’t believe what Arashi gets like when she sets her heart on something. To say nothing of her sister. Sanda’s normally so quiet, but when she and Arashi argue…” Lyse shook her head. “Arashi will be fine. So will your sister. She’s the Warrior of Light. She tore down the Garlean Empire, destroyed the immortal Ascians, saved existence itself from the incarnation of despair. A few bandits won’t stop her.”
Tenzin looked at her then, a flash of something unrecognisable in his eyes. “I wish I had your faith. It must be nice.” Lyse’s heart broke for the boy. While times were a great deal easier for most than they had been during the time of the Garleans’ ruthless expansion, there was still a great deal more to be done. And a great many who still suffered all too cruelly under the circumstances of their birth. Tenzin’s story was his own, but Lyse suspected it was not a happy one.
Another pop sounded just outside, followed by the clatter of a weapon to the floor. Arashi appeared in the doorway, now properly armoured and covered in blood. A grim smile was on her face. “Found her,” she declared. Followed swiftly by, “Don’t worry, blood’s not mine. Wasn’t bandits, though.”
Arashi began to explain, but was swiftly interrupted by another face by her side. A girl, barely more than ten summers, eyes wide with amazement. “BROTHER!” she cried, then flung herself at the unprepared Tenzin. The boy was tackled to the ground in an instant, Lyse just barely avoiding the same fate through some swift footwork. She shared a glance with Arashi, then followed the au ra out of the room. The siblings deserved a moment or two to catch up. And Arashi deserved a moment or two to wash up.
A short while later the two women returned to the infirmary, Arashi now properly garbed and not reeking of blood and sweat. Tenzin had been allowed to return to his seat in the meantime, and was making absolutely certain that his little sister was unharmed. His sister, for her part, looked rather unamused but was putting on a brave face through her sibling’s worrying. “And you’re certain they did not harm you, Hana?”
Arashi froze at the name, but neither of the siblings noticed. Lyse closed her hand around Arashi’s, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Arashi smiled in response, letting out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding. She had explained while getting changed that what Tenzin mistook for bandits had in fact been the guards of a noble house, who had been sent to abduct both of the children on their way through Doman lands. They were, apparently, distantly linked to some other noble house who had insulted the abductors in some way, and this was their means of payback. Arashi had paid them a visit and ensured they would not harm anyone again. She had even left a note for the shinobi who would inevitably investigate. A courtesy call for Sanda, she called it.
Still, both agreed that it wouldn’t be safe to send the pair back home. Several of the guards had escaped Arashi’s particular brand of justice, and it was likely there would be others seeking revenge for the act. They had spare rooms at their house, and the School had rooms aplenty if they sought somewhere that wasn’t under the Warrior of Light’s roof.
Arashi cleared her throat, eyes fixed on Tenzin. “The people who attacked you are dead, as is their master. They can’t and won’t hurt you again, not while you’re under my protection. But you can’t go back to Doma, nor your home. At least not yet. There’s no telling who else might seek to hurt you for what I’ve done.” Arashi paused for a moment, letting what she had told them sink in. It was not an easy thing to be told that you couldn’t return to your homeland. Arashi and Lyse had both swallowed that pill at an early age.
“You don’t have to stay here, or even in the city, but I’d prefer it if you did. I want to keep an eye on you, make sure you’re properly protected. And, if you’ll allow me, I’d like to teach you both how to take care of yourselves.” Tenzin’s eyes lit up for a moment before he could contain his emotions. “Tenzin, you’ve got some skill with the blade, but you’re much too obvious in your movements. And as for you, Hana,” Arashi said with a wry smile, “You have a great deal of passion, but clawing at the eyes of a well-armoured fighter won’t do you much good. Lyse, however, can teach you how to throw a punch which will break the armour of any who cross you.” Lyse noted the near-feral grin suddenly light up Hana’s face. Yes, she could certainly teach her a thing or two.
“You don’t have to decide now, but I’d like to hear your response by tonight, if that’s alright.” Arashi smiled at them both. “Until then, rest. Relax. We’ll give you the tour of the place, introduce you to the other teachers, get you both a good meal.” It took all of two seconds for Tenzin and Hana to come to a decision. It would be the easiest choice of their lives.
Many, many years later, as Tenzin prepared to step down from his position as Grandmaster of the Storm School of Combat, he would look back on his meeting with his friend and mentor with a soft smile. She had tempered the brash, over-zealous boy into a worthy successor to her. Or so she had said, when she had finally allowed herself to properly retire. He only hoped she still thought so, when he crossed into the Aetherial Sea to reunite with her. Still, he would leave the school in good hands, as she had done with him. Her legacy would live on. This much he swore.