20 chapter

The sun hit its peak. Jacara stood in the cavern still attempting to defeat his father's challenge. His magic reaching a few centimetres further than before. The squires and mages not chosen as scouts, were now drilling battle formations. However Yamada and Gwyneth were absent from the second ring. Aeris and Urkse entered into her quarters, the kitchen table had two meals prepped, with the handmaidens flushed and short of breath. "Where is Yamada and Gwyneth? Encara wishes to know why they aren't training." Urkse said with a stern voice. The girls giggled covering their smiles, looking over to her room, and pointing. Urkse and Aeris gave each other a concerned glance, before cautiously approaching her door. He reached for the doorknob. Aeris stopped him.

"What are you doing?" She asked giving him a puzzled look. "Opening a door?" Urkse said giving her the same look. "She sleeps naked, everyone knows that. You look go stand over there I'll handle this." She said pushing him away. "But." She silenced his whining like a mother, pointing for him to leave. He sulked away angrily mumbling to himself. Aeris cautiously opened the door. The room was a mess, with blankets thrown around. Her eyes nearly popped out of its sockets. Gwyneth was sleeping on top of Yamada's chest, wearing a satisfied smile, with Yamada gently snoring away. Aeris let out a loud audible gasp. Gwyneth perked up still weary but wearing her smile. "Oh, hey Aery. What's wrong?" She rubbing her eyes. Aeris was silent still staring with bulging eyes. It had been over 15 years since Aeris had seen Gwyneth, wear that smile and call her by that name.

Urkse stormed over to Aeris. "What the hell is wrong with you? What are you-" He stopped at the door seeing, Gwyneth wrap a blanket around herself and kiss Yamada on the forehead. Urkse said nothing but began to applaud slowly, nodding his head at Yamada, filled with pride. Yamada was awoken by the clapping, in a groggy state. He looked around the room in a daze, smiling at Gwyneth, before noticing Urkse and Aeris. The shock made him alert, and he quickly summoned his armour, jumping up to his feet. Urkse continued to applaud Yamada, smiling at him with admiration. "Will you stop that!" Aeris shouted flustered and slapping Urkse's hands. He continued to applaud, tears welling up his eyes.

Yamada noticed the direction of the sunlight seeping into the room. Too high to be early in the morning. "What time is it?" He asked looking out the window. "Midday." Aeris said. "WHAT!?" Yamada yelled. He rushed out of the room, squeezing past Aeris and Urkse. "Yamada, you forgot something." Gwyneth called out. He rushed back in the room, looking around frantically. "What did I forget?" He asked. She approached him, lifting his visor and kissed him. Aeris and Urkse both gasped. Her in horror and he in elation. She pulled away from him, wearing a loving smile. "Remember to take breaks during your training." She said. Yamada quietly pulled his visor down, to cover his molten red face, slowly walking out. Urkse followed him out, continuing his applause. Gwyneth finally noticed Aeris's shocked expression. "Is something wrong Aery?" She asked nonchalantly. "WHAT THE F-" Aeris shouted, her words being cut off by the slamming door.

Yamada stood in the stone courtyard, beginning his sword drills. He didn't notice he wore a smile the whole time. Harbinger and his armour felt lighter than before. Encara teleported beside Urkse, watching Yamada from above the second ring. He looked at Urkse's proud expression askance. "What's wrong with you? And why wasn't he training in the morning like he normally does?" Encara asked. "Gaze upon his magnificence Encara." Urkse said, wiping his eyes. Encara shot him a puzzled expression. "Can you just answer me?" He asked annoyed. "He got his Wyrm to sleep in Gwyneth's cave." Urkse said with a seedy smile. Encara's eyes bulged, the air became thin around him, as he inhaled. "YAMADA HAD SEX WITH GWYNETH!?" Encara shouted.

The second ring fell still and silent. Yamada had entered into his own world. Not noticing every man and woman who had heard Encara surround him. He continued to swing Harbinger, each swing leading into another, like rushing water filling a shape. Yamada finally noticed the air around him becoming sparse. He gazed around seeing every male mage squire, knight and a few women surrounding him. "What's happening?" He asked nervously, looking around. He was suddenly bombarded by questions. "What does she look like? What is she like? How did you do it? Which position?" Urkse pushed his way through the crowd shouting. "Give the boy room! He needs to be able to breathe!" Urkse shouted, pushing his way to Yamada. He cleared his throat. "Now tell us in great detail. What was she like?" Urkse asked.

Yamada went bright red. He quickly bulldozed his way through the crowd running past them. Encara appeared beside Yamada. "Grab on." He said. Yamada quickly clutched Encara's sleeve. He clapped his hands and the two of them disappeared in a blinding flash of light. The crowd groaned rolling their eyes, and trudging back to training. "Alright back to formations! I'll spread the details once I get them." Urkse announced.

Encara and Yamada appeared outside the walls, standing amidst the surrounding forest. Encara felt ragged and drained, from a trip that should have been undemanding. "How does everyone know what happened!? Yamada exclaimed, grabbing Encara by his shoulders. "Sorry, that's my fault." Encara said with a nervous smile, sweat beads running down his face. "WHY?" He yelled. "WAIT! HOW DO YOU KNOW!?" Yamada shouted shaking him. Encara reeled back at the volume and spit flying into his face. "Urkse told me." He said. Yamada buried his face deep into his gauntlets shying away.

"Why are you embarrassed? You know that every woman envies her. Every man who has gazed upon her, has wanted to sleep with her. You should be proud! You did something no man has accomplished in almost 20 years." Encara said patting Yamada's back. "Can I just ask, why now? You didn't seem like you were really interested in doing....that." Encara asked. "She opened her heart to me. And I was never NOT, interested in doing that...And then she was naked and hugging me-" Encara shook his head astonished, stopping him. "You know what. I'll go ask myself. You stay out here and keep training. No one will disturb you here. Just wave down the mages up on the ring they'll let you in." Encara said clapping his hands and disappearing. Yamada looked around confused. "Wait! Where's the Citadel!?" he yelled after him.

Gwyneth sat in the kitchen still wearing a euphoric smile. Aeris, Soel, Urkse and Encara sat down with her. "Gwyneth, you're not forbidden from courting your squires, but is highly frowned upon." Aeris said frowning at her. "Speak for yourself Aeris. We don't all have Sarangs, or have found ours." Soel snapped. Aeris dropped her head in shame, avoiding Encara's gaze. She pointed at Gwyneth. "Look at her. She's smiling and happy. Now where are those girls with the platters and wine?" she said slamming her hand on the table.

"I don't have time for this. I need to go oversee his training." Gwyneth said standing up. "You can leave after you tell me one thing." Encara said with a stern voice. He locked eyes with Gwyneth. "He might die in this upcoming war. Are you sure, you're ready to repeat-" Gwyneth cracked the table in half with a punch. Urkse, Soel and Aeris jumped back in fright. She grabbed Encara by his throat. "I am not replacing Hendrik." She growled. "Why don't you worry about your own son's life instead?" she said through her teeth, squeezing his throat tighter. "Everyone who knows, what you did in Rockport, is too afraid to stand up to you. So I'll say this one last time Encara Cagim. Stop using Rin's death, as an excuse to be a cunt." She snapped. The others shuffled away, keeping their heads down. "You weren't the only who lost a piece of them. That doesn't mean you get the right, to stop others from being happy." Gwyneth shoved him aside walking off with a scowl. Encara clutched his throat coughing and wheezing. "I left him outside the walls to train, south western part of the forest." He said as she left.

Yamada continued his sword drills in the quiet and serene peace of the forest. The sound of a tree branch breaking caught his attention. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. He white knuckled his grip around Harbinger. The creeping sensation that something was watching him intensified. Yamada scanned around the area, readying himself to defend. "That's quite a weapon you're holding, Forsake one." A man said. His ominous voice echoed out. Yamada quickly spun around trying to find the source of the voice. "Who's there?" Yamada called out. A man wearing a frayed peanut brown cloak levitated down from the trees. His cloak shrouded his entire figure. Yamada struggled to discern any feature about the man underneath. "Who are you?" Yamada asked taking a defensive stance, raising Harbinger up to his face.

"Who I am is not important. Who you are is." He said. His voice had the hint of excitement in it. "You, who can control the strongest element, has also chosen to become a Forsaken Knight." The mysterious man said laughing. "What a scary thing you will become." Yamada felt his pounding against his chest. He could tell this man was powerful. "What do you want?" Yamada asked. "What I want is irrelevant. Grow stronger Yamada Ken. A great war is coming, and you will be vital to winning it." The man said turning his back to Yamada. "How do you know my name? Who are you?" He asked taking a step forward. The gate of earth magic opened, beneath the mysterious man. "Goodbye Forsaken One. We will meet again." He said. Before the stone pillars shot up covering him, and sunk back into the ground. Yamada scanned the area trying to find signs of the stranger, to no avail.