12 Excelerate

"Most people have a first memory," Kiren said. "What's yours?"

Lace thought about it for a second. "I remember falling and scraping my knee. My mom cleaned the wound and gave it a kiss better, and we had some freshly baked bread with melted butter afterward."

"I see. The first thing I remember is my mother's screams. The blood dripping down her naked flesh. The agony on her face. And I remember F—…" He clenched his teeth. "I remember him. Ripper. Laughing while he bled her like a pig. Like her death was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. At the same time, his gang of rapists and murderers were slaughtering the rest of the village. My father included. Burnt the whole fucking thing to the ground."

Lace blinked. She stood up and reached out a hand towards him. "Oh… I'm so sorry, Kiren. Is there—"

"Shut up," Kiren said. "Save the platitudes. I'm over it. I just need you to understand why this is important."

Lace sat back down. "I'm sorry. What happened to you after that? If you don't mind."

Kiren shrugged. "Once Ripper had finished with my mother, he turned his attention to me. He didn't kill me, though. I suppose that would have been too painless for his taste. He took me with him, and after that, he treated me like his mutt. Something he could take his rage out on whenever he felt the urge."

"So… on That Day, you were there because of him?"

"It was the day I became free of him. In a sense, at least. Now I just have to end his wretched existence. The lives he stole will not go unpunished." He gripped the bed's metal railing until his knuckles went white and the scars on his hand went tight.

"That's why you paid my fee," Lace said. "Because I know they're still alive. The commanders of the Dark Eye. Ender himself. You want my help to kill him."

"Yes."

"I… see."

Lace swallowed. Fighting, she had no qualms with. But killing…

"You owe me," Kiren said. There was a hint of desperation in his voice.

"I want Ender and all the rest brought to justice as much as you do," Lace said. "You're not the only one whose parent they've murdered. I'm just not sure we have the right to make that judgment. Whether they live or die."

"Yeah? And who does?"

"The Queen. Of course I want them dead, but that's not our choice to make. It's Paragon's."

Kiren shook his head. "You're just passing off responsibility. Listen, if everyone is waiting for someone else to do something, nothing's going to get done. Paragon doesn't give a feathered shit what Ender is doing. She's got her head lodged so far up her ass I doubt she's seen the sun in years. Even if you so presented him at her doorstep with a fucking trumpet fanfare, she wouldn't know what to do with him."

"I'll help you find Ripper and bring him in," Lace said. "That much I can promise you. Beyond that, I can't make any guarantees. I'm not a vigilante."

"We'll see."

"All this is hypothetical, to begin with," Lace said. "We need to actually get accepted first, and that's not looking so bright."

"So we'll get off our asses and do something about it," Kiren said. "We lost against that clown and his lapdog. So which one of the Heroes would be most likely to bet on a pair of rejects like us?"

"What do you mean?" Lace asked.

"Well, why wait for them to pick us? We should just go to them directly."

"I suppose, given the circumstances, that might be our best bet." Lace ran her fingers through her hair, untangling knots. "But the Heroes at the Lodge select for talent. Good Doctor apparently knew me since I was a baby, but even she wouldn't take me on."

"There's got to be someone," Kiren said. "I'm not walking away from here empty-handed."

Lace sank into deep thought.

'Who would be willing to take us on? Who…?'

"Torchbearer!" she exclaimed. "He's seen me fight before. Well, sort of. It didn't go so well, but he did commend me. If we talk to him, he might be willing to…"

Kiren nodded. "Good. He'll be there at the announcement tomorrow?"

"Most Heroes will be. There's also Eagle-Eyes. He's been around since my dad's time, and I think he was rooting for me to win. I'm sure if one of them would take me on, I could convince them to take you as well. You did great in the first three tests, after all."

Kiren nodded. "Then we'll approach them both and get one of them to take us on. Sound good?"

Lace smiled. "Yeah. That sounds good."

*****

Twenty-four applicants waited in the courtyard. The early morning air set a chilly edge to the breeze that came in over the wall.

Judging by previous experience, only about half of those who were left would be accepted by one Hero or another.

"Can you see him?" Kiren asked, looking out over the courtyard. The Heroes were still bargaining with one another, trading favors and promises in order to gain the apprentice or apprentices they most desired.

A few notable figures were present. Titaness, towering head and shoulders over the others. Good Doctor, who seemed to have concluded her bargaining and settled on an apprentice. Bloodhound, the man with the head of a wolf, who served as the Goldbrand chapter Guild Master, was also there.

Far away from the group stood another Hero, leaned against a wall. He wore a set of black robes with white bandages around his arms and legs, a red cloth mask resting below his chin. He had grey, slicked-back hair and a face weary with onsetting age. He chatted amicably with Eagle-Eyes, who sat cross-legged on the ground next to him.

Excelerate, the Vanishing Hero.

A Rank.

"Creator's breath, do you see that?" Lace asked, pointing. "That's Excelerate!"

Kiren frowned. "Who?"

"Oh, come on. Excelerate! The man who can run faster than the Unmaker's shadow, climb a mountain in one minute, and detain any Villain in two seconds flat. You're saying you don't know that Excelerate?"

"I guess that does sound kinda familiar," Kiren admitted. "But he's not who we came here for. Do you see Torchcarrier?"

"Torchbearer. No, I can't see him. You look around, though. I'll go talk to Eagle-Eyes."

Apprentices had started to be selected and called out by Counter, then taken over to their new prospective masters.

Lace walked over to where Eagle-Eyes sat with Excelerate. They watched as she approached. Excelerate wore an inscrutable smirk.

She bowed before them, as deeply as she could without groveling. "I'm sorry, masters, for interrupting you."

"And yet you're doing it anyway," Excelerate said. "Very well. Get on with it."

"Uh, t-thank you."

The two Heroes regarded her dully.

Lace took a deep breath to compose herself. "I would just like to propose that you, Eagle-Eyes, take me and Kiren on as your apprentices." She pointed over to where Kiren was standing. "While we didn't win our duel, we have a drive that other applicants lack. We would make loyal and dedicated students. I—"

Eagle-Eyes held up a hand. "That's enough. I'm sorry, sirrah, but I have already selected an apprentice. I'm not looking for two."

Lace turned around and saw Counter coming over at a brisk march. He had Bits in tow, who flashed Lace his brightest grin.

'Oh, you monster.'

Eagle-Eyes stood and dusted off his feathered cloak. He greeted Bits with a handshake. "Ah, my new apprentice. After the results of that duel, I'm very much intrigued to see what else you can do, Powerless or not."

Excelerate shrugged apologetically.

'It's like this whole system is turned against me. Whenever I think I'm one step ahead, I get shoved two steps back.'

She stormed off and returned to Kiren. A handful of applicants had already been called out. Gantho the bomb-maker had been claimed by Squiddy, the Inventor Hero. Both Veera and Jahn had been taken by Titaness.

They didn't have much time left. There wouldn't be any spots left, soon.

"Any luck?" Kiren asked.

"None. Eagle-Eyes decided to take Bits on. You?"

"Can't see the guy. Maybe you'll have better luck."

Lace went over and found one of Counter's apprentices. The green-haired one, Tommyn. She tugged on his arm to stop him.

"Yes?" he asked, turning around. "Oh, i-it's you. How's the…?" He pointed to his shoulder.

"It's fine," Lace said, rolling her right arm. "It still tugs a bit, but Good Doctor's healing is something else. Say, do you know if Torchbearer will be here today?"

"Torchbearer?" Tommyn asked. "Oh, uh, I don't think so. He usually takes his p-patrols pretty seriously."

"Wait, so… he's not…?"

"Nope. Why, did you want him to bless a trinket for you or something?"

Lace managed a smile, hollow and quivering, before hurrying away. It felt like she had a bundle of hair stuck in her throat. She held back a wave of bile.

"Well?" Kiren asked. He cracked his knuckles, foot tapping on the ground. "Where is he?"

"Not coming," Lace said. She couldn't look him in the eye. "We're really done for now."

About ten apprentices had been called out, and the group of remaining applicants was rapidly shrinking. Most of the Heroes were already moving on. Kiren tried to talk to a few of them, but no one gave them more than a passing glance. It seemed they had even been turned off Kiren after seeing his performance in the duel.

Lace stood numbly, fidgeting with the rim of her tunic. She had no more ideas. There was nothing more they could do, no one who would take them.

"No," Kiren growled, turning on the spot as he looked for other Heroes to approach. "It's not supposed to go like this. It's not…"

"Lace and Kiren!" Counter called out.

Lace looked up, wiping tear-brimmed eyes.

"Report to Excelerate," he continued in a darkly bitter tone. "He has agreed to take you on."

'An A Rank? Us? That can't be right.'

Kiren dragged her along by the sleeve of her tunic. He pulled her over to where Counter stood with the dark-robed Hero.

"Why her?" Counter asked. "Pick someone else. Anyone else. Take the boy, but leave her."

"I've made my choice," Excelerate said. His voice was deep and hoarse, denoting a hint of boredom. "What are you going to do? Cry to Bloodhound about it? You know he'll side with me."

"Fine," Counter said. "Insufferable old…" He continued under his breath as he stalked off.

"Now then," Excelerate said. He looked towards Lace and Kiren.

He vanished in a blurred streak.

Lace blinked.

"Will you make good little helpers, I wonder?" came a voice in her ear.

Lace spun around and caught a glimpse of a black robe before he vanished again.

"If it is safety and comfort you seek, there is no worse master than me," Excelerate said. He was behind them again.

Lace turned around to face him.

"If you wish to become real Heroes, however, there is none better."

"Teach me," Kiren said without hesitation.

Excelerate skidded around them at an incredible pace, too quick to properly see. Dirt and gravel sprayed around them.

"Good. Then become my apprentices, the both of you. I'll put you to good use."

"Master Excelerate," someone said.

The torrent of rapid movement stopped in the blink of an eye. Excelerate stood in front of Tommyn, arms crossed. He stooped, face dangerously close to the young apprentice.

"Yes, grassy-head?" he asked. "Is there something you need?"

Tommyn blinked frantically. "I w-would like to speak to Kiren and Lace for a moment. If that's okay, I mean. It's, umm, urgent. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

Excelerate paused for a moment, looking the slight young man over.

"Very well. Just don't hold them for too long."

Tommyn pulled them both to the side and looked to make sure they were out of earshot from the Hero, who stared suspiciously back at them.

"What are you doing?" Lace asked pointedly. "Excelerate himself is taking us on. Don't mess this up for us."

"Don't take his offer," Tommyn said. His tone of voice suggested utter sincerity. "Whatever he's telling you, don't listen."

"Why not?" Kiren said. "Why are you wasting our time with this?"

"Be-because you're not his first apprentices!" Tommyn lowered his voice and looked to make sure Excelerate hadn't overheard. "He's had f-four sets before you in the past six years. They're all dead. Please, if you value your lives, just pass this up."

Lace and Kiren glanced at each other.

"I'm sorry," Lace said. "But this is our one shot."

"Just handle your own business," Kiren said.

They turned away from him and walked back over to Excelerate. He waited patiently, eyes half-lidded.

"So, what'll it be?" he asked. "Mediocrity or greatness?"

"We accept," Kiren said.

"Oh, there's one thing I should mention." He pointed at the two of them with an index and middle finger. "You failed your duel. If you want to be my apprentices, you're going to have to do a little something extra for me. To show me you're serious."

"Anything," Lace said. "Just say the word."

Excelerate cracked a faint smile.

"Excellent. We'll get started in the morning. Dawn. Don't be late."

"Yes, ma—" Lace began.

He disappeared.