2 Chapter 2: Power and Will

"Father, Please don't take her away."

"We have no room for her type here, she has to go."

"Just because she's different? She's your daughter."

"I'm sorry Rem, but this is the way it must be, we're Anima's. we must be strong for those that are weak."

"She's thirteen! You can't just cast her aside like this!"

"I can and I will now get out of my way!"

"I won't let you"

"Rem, move, now"

"NO!"

I am abruptly awoken, fucking nightmares. I shouldn't have to live like this, with all this fear and anger. I take a glimpse out the window, doesn't even look like the sun is trying to come up yet, I'd guess it's about four. Well, best to get a start to the day, hopefully, it goes better than yesterday. Time to go to the forge and start work on something for the rook, don't know what though, know nothing about him other than his dad was a member of the guild, but I don't think that's going to help me any. I get up out of bed, walk over to the kitchen to make some tea and look over to him to see him sitting on the bed. Well, at least he's not sitting on the floor anymore. I give a quick look over, doesn't seem like he has any armor, maybe I should make him a chest plate or something, can't have him take a blade of anything to the chest now, that wouldn't look good on my record at all.

*Ah and it shows here that you let your recruit walk around with no armor, and as a result, he suffered fatal wounds.* Yeah, no I am not letting that happen, only now what to make him? Could make a plate scale hybrid, still gives mobility and looks good, now what to make it from? Has to be light 'cause he doesn't look that strong, I'll figure that out once I get there. I should get a start on that before I go to train.

I downed what's left of my tea, which by this time has gotten cold. *Didn't think I lost myself that far in thought.* I grab my armor and head off down to the forge, and to no surprise, there's no one there. Well, Samuel but I don't count him, he practically lives here.

I light up my forge and wait for it to come up to temp, waiting is the hardest part, but it gives me time to think about what I'm going to do or rather what the hell I'm going to make a piece of armor out of. I'll just work on the scales today and worry about the plate later, at least then I can make out of steel and I have a few left over from my own set.

As I sit here tapping out the shape of a scale, then throwing it back into the heat, I think to myself. *Why am I having these dreams and why now?* "You know, you left this in there to long… again." A familiar booming voice said, causing me to jump a bit.

"God's be damned Samuel don't sneak on people like that."

"Sorry, did I scare the 'great and mighty' Valkah Anima." He says with sarcasm and joy in his voice.

"No." I say sternly, as I feel my cheeks heating up.

"Oh really? Then I didn't see you jump there? Damn my eye must be getting worse with my old age, or is it the red on your cheeks that's throwing me off?"

"Okay, first off your what, in your forties? So don't give me that 'old' bullshit."

"And second is?"

"I haven't thought of that yet."

"Anyway, why do you need more scales? You already have a suit made, and you know no one in the guild wants one made by you."

"Geez, rub that in good. For your information it for the rookie we just got."

"So now your making pieces for people that may not need it? Come on Velk your better than that."

"No no he only has- well nothing for armor, thought I'd be nice and make him some."

"Did you even ask him if he wanted any?"

"No, but I think it'd be dumb not to have any."

"Your too kind Valk, and that's going to get you in trouble one of these days."

"Yeah yeah, and my temper as well, I know. You don't have to keep reminding me, I'm not that little girl you used to know." I say matter-of-factly.

"I know, I just don't want to see you get your feeling hurt. Also, how's your tournament training going?"

"Great, I'm using number Eight now so pretty much at tournament level. I can feel the guild win this year for sure, there's no way I am coming in second again"

"Good, remember it in a couple of weeks."

"I know, and if nothing hauls me away I should be able to keep up till then. Speaking of which, I should go get that in for the day."

"It's only nine in the morning."

"And? I'd sooner get it done and get back here to work on his armor then wait till it's dark."

"Does this 'rookie' of yours have a name?"

"Yeah, but I don't remember it."

"Doesn't surprise me in the least."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, just your bad with names. Hell, it took you a year to remember mine."

"Whatever you say, anyway I'm going to go and train some, if the rook drops by can you make sure he doesn't see any of this okay?"

"Will do ma'am."

I give him a quick stare. "Don't ever do that again."

"Sorry, force of habit."

"Fine, I'm going to leave now, just make sure he doesn't see it."

"Yeah, I heard you the first time."

"Just making sure."

"Unlike you, I don't have a bad memory," he says with a joyful laugh behind it.

"Low blow Sam, low blow. Anyway, I'll see you later." And with that, I head off towards the training arena.

As I walk on to the training grounds I notice that there is no one here, not really that odd this time of day but still, there is normally at least one or two people here at all times. Not compiling though, give me a chance to use Golem Eight. The golems work in a level based system one being the lowest and well, I don't know how high it goes. The guild could only afford ten golems at the time but hardly anyone goes that high, only fighters that want to prove themselves and tournament fighters use seven through ten, six don't get used anymore and five through one are for the newbies or the children of guild members.

"Golem Eight, your up, bring the greatsword this time, I do believe I have yet to fight against it."

The golem springs to life, walks over to the sword rack and grabs a short sword.

"I forgot how dumb you things are, well, this is going to be a good warm up."

I draw my swordbreaker, this should be easy, I've been training on Eight for a couple of days now and I think I have his patterns figured out. As soon as the bell sounds the golem rushes me with a high swing, well that's new, I barely have time to deflect the blow as another one comes barreling in. *Okay, he's got some tricks now, that's just great. Good thing I have some of my own.* I wait for my moment, waiting for it to slip up, and just like that, I have my chance. It goes for another high swing, *Good thing I saw it coming this time.* I bring my swordbreaker just above my head and catch it blade in the teeth of my own, with my off hand I reach up to my left shoulder and draw the dagger hidden under the sleeve, turn around so that my back is now facing the weapons rack and proceed to jam the tip of the dagger in ear of the golem. "You yield?" I say with some weight to my breathing, it simply nods. "Good, now go and get the greatsword!" With that command, I remove my dagger and place it back in its scabbard as the golem walk's out of the ring over to the weapon rack, grabs a greatsword and walks back into the ring.

"Well, at least this time you got it right one." We square up and wait for the bell to sound once again. *Okay, Valkah, you got this, you aren't letting a golem beat you.* And with that thought, the bell rings and I rush forward bypassing it's defenses and placing a well-aimed strike at its midsection, as a puff of straw flys from the wound and falls to the ground as it's greatsword soon follows with a hollow ring. Too easy, "You put up a good fight Eight, but I was just faster". I straighten my form, pivot my step and notice that Fulnis is here. How long has he been here for? Shit, what time is it? Well, I better say hello or something.

"Greetings," I say with a grin on my face.

"Hello. So, you have been training out here? The poker ass directed me to the Arena in the Wall, but I guess that is partially my fault." Poker ass? Which one? There's a lot of them. Wait.

"Bigger guy, looks like he's lost almost every game his played?"

"Large, but definitely not in charge." Yep definitely Enrick

I laugh a little bit "Yeah that's Enrick, don't pay him any mind. I mean unless you want all of his coin.

He walks over to the golem and crouches over it. My guess is he's never seen one before.

"You did a number on that golem. It's so interesting how they heal themselves" He says getting up from his position and face me once again, then starts to walk over to the weapon racks. "Can you assist me in training? I'd like to do group combat so that I can be prepared for a fight in a party. Plus, I'd like to get to know how you fight." Wait… is he for real right now? He did see what I did to the golem right?

"You want to spar with me? no offense rook, but you don't look like you could even wield a light sword"

"Yeah, it may not-" You gonna finish that thought there bud, but then I notice a certain look about his face.

Suddenly, I am pushed aside, falling to the ground with no rhyme, and for his sake, better have a damn good reason. Realizing this I go to put my arm out to stop the fall, but that time to has passed as my head makes contact with the compacted dirt. Pain is an odd feeling, at first you didn't feel it then seconds later it hits you like a raging beast. Between the slight ringing in my ears and the slight feeling of confusion I hear "Oh..." Oh? the fucking hell does he mean by oh?

I go to get up, still in my dazed state to turn around to look at him. "The fucking hell was that fo- Oh..." Well. Now I see what he means by oh, he's managed to blow the top of Eight's head off. I notice him lower his arm. "Uh... It can recover from that right?" He asks nervously.

"Uh, maybe? I've seen them come back from a lot of bad things. Uh, maybe?" I'm completely bewildered, wait... is he? No, he can't be, can he? This needs further investigation. He then crouches of to look at the golem again, well, good to see that he cares about his party mate, good thing I wasn't knocked out then.

"It looks like it will, be fine. It just might be uh... a little stunned. If golems can be stunned."

He just stands and stares at me while I am at a loss for words, *I've seen Eight come back from damn near anything but this… this is something I don't think these golems were made for.* Just as that thought passes me by, Eight pulls itself back together, get back up and walk over to the other golems. I don't think it'll be fighting the rook any time soon.

"So how do these things work? Does it have something to do with being inside the ring?" He asks.

I shake my head. "Umm, Yeah."

"Okay? ...Well, this is awkward."

"Ya, think?" I retort back, I mean he just punched that golems head off.

"Well, do we want to practice together now? I still have no idea how to use the golems."

"Uh... No... No... You just removed that one's scalp." I wince, there's no way I am fighting him now that I've seen the end results.

"You could literally cut one of those things in half if you tried... Right? How is scalping it worse? They don't have bones! If they did I would have broken my hand on its skull."

Di- did he say what I think he said? "What did you just say? You know what, Fine let's do this."

"Uh... I wasn't-" He tries to say something but I ain't have none of it.

"No golems," I say as I step into the ring, turning to face the kid, let's see what he's really got. I glance up to see him go to say something, but then he shuts his mouth and steps into the ring, smart kid. He reaches into his bag, pulls out a pill of some sort and tosses it to me.

"Here. If we are going to fight, we are going to do it on fair terms. It is a Jade Light pill. It will help recover your energy."

"Do you really think I'm that weak?" I say, swatting the pill away. I mean really, does he think I'm that weak?

"No. I did not know how long you had been training, and I was trying to be nice."

I see him bend over to pick up the pill. Hmm, now is my chance. I rush at him, only giving him enough time to stand up and raise his fist's, and notice he has left his chest wide open, this is where my first strike will land, but before I can hit my target, he deflects it with little to no effort and I hear the all too familiar ring of metal on metal, as my blade glides off his gauntlets. I best not let him get a chance to counter as I go in for another strike. *You're getting too cocky Valk, you're going to slip up,* and as that thought passes me by he has knocked my blade off its trajectory. *Shit, this kid is better than I thought, maybe I should yield. No, I am an Anima and we do not falter.* With that thought out of my head, I notice his palm reaching out for a strike, I block it with my forearm not wanting to expose my abdomen to any of his hits, after that my mind went blank, my body worked on its own or at least I think it did? Hope it did, anyway, at that moment I thought back to when I first was brought in to the guild. I was only eighteen, the youngest member surrounded by all these older men, I mean sure there were females in the guild but none of them seemed like the kind of people you'd want to talk to. That's where Samuel came in, he took me in and treated me like a daughter, taught me the basics of swordplay. A year after that I was a pro in sword and knife play and developed my own style. But while fighting this kid, I've had to throw most of it out the window and rely on instincts. I mean really who fights with their fists? But with what I have experienced his a... OWW. A sharp pain in my ankle snaps me out of my trance as I realize I am falling, <i>He must have maneuver around me and kicked out my leg.</i> Good move on his behalf, even if I had time to block his fist it would win me no ground, I could roll out of the way, but where does that get me? I could kick out his knee, but then I run the risk of breaking it, and I don't need a hobbled rook. Just then his fist stopped mere inches from my face.

He removes his hand from in front of my face and says "That was luck. Do you want to go again, or are you still upset by something you read too far into? I know you are on rookie duty, but that doesn't mean you have to treat me as if I am a fool. I am a rookie, not stupid." He says with a bluntness in his tone. "I would still like to be friends, but friends on equal terms, not master and speck of dirt. Now, do you want to go and get food and makeup?" He reaches down and offers me his hand. *Good to see now he's willing to help the fallen.*

"Food sounds good, also good job, not many can beat me in a one on one." give props when they are due, and here they are due.

I accept his hand, he pulls me up and I dust myself off. We head to the entrance, leave the training grounds and head to the main hall, once we open the door we are greeted by the smell of freshly cooked food. I take a quick glance into the kitchen to see whether or not to get anything. *Well, good to see Ivar is in his usual bad mood.* My thought is interrupted by a slight poke to my side followed by the rook whispering, "How do we get food without pissing off the cook?"

"I don't know, I normally cook for myself. Plus then I know there's no spit or any other unwanted fluids in the food" It's true, you never know if the cook is having a bad day.

"AAAAnnnyway, I guess that won't hurt. Is there anything you want to make?" He asks as we turn towards my house.

"I mean, what do you want. Name it and I can probably make it, that or burn it. Cooking skill's fifty-fifty at this point."

I raise my eyebrow. "Your full of surprises aren't you. I can try and make something. It might not be good, but at least it won't be burned."

"I mean there's that too, but you won the fight. So food cooking duty is on me"

"Soup."

"What kind?"

"Soup." Maybe I should have let him cook.

"I can keep this up all night- Shit its noon- all day."

"Feesh"

"You mean the fish with legs that run?"

He nods.

"Do you know how much of a bitch that is to catch?"

And just like that he reaches into his sack and pulls out a Feesh.

"Ah, well there's that too." Who the hell carries that with them? "You just carry dried feesh around?"

He looks a little irritated by my question and ignores it, then I see him put his hand back in the bag then his If my jaw could've hit the floor it would have as up to his shoulder is now in the bag, he then looks up to me. "Riiiight. I have a magic bag stitched to the mouth of this bag. It is essentially a magic bag, just more durable." *Why the in the hell's does he have that and furthermore what else does he have in it?* He tosses me the fish steak. "And you want a soup of this?" the fuck is this guy…

He nods and with a heavy sigh I agree, *maybe I should have let him cook, but it's too late for that now.*

Half Hour Later:

"Beetch here's your feesh."

He closes the book he was reading through, looked like some sort of alchemic research. "I'm right here you know. No need to shout."

"Oh, I know," I say as I take the pot off the fire and go to place it on the table when I notice that the rook has cleaned it off. Well, at least he can clean. I walk back over to my side of the room and pick up two bowls and a spoon for myself then go back to the table. I take the pot and pour off some soup for myself than hand the pot to the rook and begin to eat. *Not the worst thing I ever made, next time a little more spice maybe or may-.* My thought is cut off by the sudden slurping sound coming from the other side of the table.

"Uhhh. This is pretty good," He says awkwardly, what did he expect me to do, poison it?

"Guess I got the good fifty percent then"

"You seem to like metal a lot. Do you know where we could get a large quantity of mithril?" That was an odd change of topic.

"First, How do you know I know about metals and their alloys? Second not a whole lot, It's lighter and harder than steel, but other than that I know nothing on the matter. I have never had a chance to sit down and look at the stuff" Did Samuel tell him?

"To answer your first question, you stayed with me the entire time I was fixing your blade. In addition, you also were very incredulous when I said I could fix your blade, meaning you know something about metallurgy." No that just means I love my weapon, I mean yes as an armorer I know about that.

"Well, I mean, you're right. It's the one thing I love in life, you know? As for me staying while you fix my swordbreaker. I just didn't want to see anything bad happen to it."

"Yeah, but you stayed there for multiple hours. Most people wouldn't stay for that even if they loved their weapon."

"Let's just say it means a lot to me, okay," I say with anger starting to come out in my voice, I ain't just going to leave Rem with anyone.

"So no leads on the mithril. Perhaps there's a quest on clearing out a mine? I might be able to find something about what are signals for mithril deposits in one of my books." Wow, well that's one way to change topics.

"I mean there might be, Haven't looked at that damn board in weeks. Why the interest in mithril?"

"Eh. Samuel asked for mithril to train me in blacksmithing. I could probably learn it from a book, but a personal teacher is always better than a book." Damn it, Samuel. Couldn't get your hands on it for the armorer's but sure as hell you're gonna find someone to get it for you.

"I mean he is a good person to learn from on that kind of thing, but why does he need it? You know what never mind I'll ask him myself later."

With the conversation now ended we get up, clean off the table and head back the guild hall. Upon entering the building I head to the mission board, meanwhile, the rookie stays back a little, probably still a little bit anxious about being in a new place. I don't know, I study metal, not the mind, for good reason of course. I start to look for quests that are close to one another, if we're going to be gone for a few days might as well grab two that are close. I noticed one of them is up in Kelos, *What does Feyrind need now? Well, might as well, haven't seen her in a year or so.* I take that one and the one next to it and walk over to the administration desk, we really need to get a new one, damn thing looks like it's been through two wars and a flood but Elris insists we keep it because it's 'broken in just the right way' to me it gives the guild a bad look once you walk through the door. Elris as always, is sitting behind the sad excuse of a desk, oh and asleep this time? Wow, big shock, no one in the guild really takes quest anymore, most of them make their money by gambling and the one that don't are just here to say their in a guild. But my thoughts once again are wrong as he jumps to life and starts patting himself down, I look over to the rook and see him try ever so hard not to laugh.

"Hey, Elris we'll take these two, they're close to one another," I say with a joyful tone to my voice. Elris seems to pay me no mind, he just opens his drawer, shuffles through it and pulls out to papers. Wow, he has these ones ready for once, that's a shock, or maybe they just came in, Don't know and don't care.

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[Unstick my Shaft!]

My iron mine shaft as of recently has become

infested with monsters, and I need your help

in removing them from the dark deep crevices.

[Location: 2 days travel north]

[Expected Enemies: Spiders, ???]

[Danger: Stone]

[Reward: My gratitude, Anything you Find]

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Anything we find? Wow, that's umm, that vague as hell, and what the hell am I to do with gratitude. Can't spend that shit anywhere, well at least we might find some mithril there and who knows what else.

"I have no words. Why did I have to read this with my eyes?" He asks.

"The... Requester was very adamant that the mineshaft he was talking about did, in fact, contain stone, and was a part of the earth." Elris says while struggling to keep his face straight.

"Well, I guess we gotta explore his crevices now!" I say with more joy then I meant to put on it.

"Stop the carriage, let's look at the other one first."

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[Rock Hard Men]

Some men came out of nowhere from the

mountain. We tried to drive them off but

our weapons didn't make them go soft.

They are a nuisance that must be finished.

[Location: 3 days south, 2 days east of Karn]

[Expected Enemies: Minor Golems]

[Danger: Metal]

[Reward: 20 silver]

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20 Sliver, to deal with some minor golems? Haha, that's an overpay if I ever heard of one.

And the rook looks like he wants to kill Elris, I think most people have that thought the first few weeks.

"This is your doing, I know it. I don't even care at this point. Let's go beat up some hard men!" He says sarcastically, snapping me out of my thought.

I see him roll up the quest and put it into his bag, then turn to me.

"So when do you want to head out?" He asks with a tone that sounds as if we're killing him slowly.

"That sounds like a lot of handwork." Hand? Did… did I really just say hand? Oh well.

Why is he staring at me again?

"What?"

He just keeps staring, two can play the awkward game.

"Like what you see?"

He quickie closes his eyes and turns his head to look away.

"Guess we will start tomorrow," He says loudly, guess I win, oh this is going to be fun.

"Nah we still got daylight, let's go beat some men," I say before heading to the door, turning with a grin on my face.