(Interlude) Fragment of the Past XVIII: Cinders of Flames Past (Metas) (1/4)

"Squires... Arise!" A booming voice exclaimed from the foot of the door of the large room. A Multiple beds were set up from end to end of the room, and a boy among the other squires who were training to become knights were sleeping in the rows and columns of beds in the room. Metas sat up, then stood in one fluid and unpausing motion. He maintained a stern and calm expression as some of the others were still sitting down on their beds, yawning and groggily rubbing their eyes. "Mhm..." Sethan remarked, rubbing his face and scratching his head. He was standing wobbly and his eyes were half-open as he was half-asleep. "Stand up straight." Metas said towards his younger brother. "Oh!" Sethan exclaimed.

The tall man at the door was dark-skinned and gruff. He stared down at the children with beady-eyes and looked down upon them. "Breakfast in ten! Training in an hour! Up, up! Move!" He commanded them, disgruntled. He then stepped out of the room and knocked at the doors of the other bedrooms as well. "So... So early..." Asralyn exclaimed, yawning and walking up to her siblings. "We've been waking up at around this time every day for half a year now... It's a wonder how you're not used to it yet." Sethan said to his sister. "I can't help it! I'm a growing girl, I need my sleep." Asralyn exclaimed. "Then maybe you should start sleeping earlier, and stop staying up so late..." Metas said to Asralyn. "Hmph, I can't control when I fall asleep." She remarked.

"Then maybe you should stop playing around with your friends at night and focus on sleeping earlier..." Metas said sternly. "Hey guys, let's just go to breakfast now, we might not have enough time to eat before our training..." Sethan said, going between the two of them. The ones in the room children whose ages were varied from young to ones in their teens, but not those who were too young to speak and walk properly. They all wore the same or similar clothing which consisted of brown long-sleeve tunics and long brown trousers. They all slowly walked in a somewhat orderly fashion out of their rooms down a hallway along with others from the nearby rooms towards the dining area. The large wooden barracks had multiple large indoor and outdoor areas and even a second floor.

The dining area was a large interior space with three columns of long rectangular tables with long wooden benches running parallel at both sides of the table. The long benches lacked backrests, and neither were the seats seperated so the children were seated based on them deciding amongst themselves. An invisible and mostly unspoken hierarchy was present in the dining area alone, with the spots and seats already reserved and predetermined by those who assumed dominance over the others. Metas and his siblings went to the stack of round wooden plates on a counter beside a basket of wooden spoons and forks.

"Ah, we're too late again..." Sethan exclaimed, seeing the number of plates and utensils not to be equal, with the spoons and forks being much more than the limited amount of plates. Asralyn took one of the two remaining plates, and Sethan took the other and then turned towards Metas. "Looks like we'll have to share food on this plate..." He remarked. "No, you can have it. I am not hungry." Metas exclaimed, walking away. Sethan and Asralyn went towards a long counter table which seperated the kitchen and the dining area, where food was being served to them. Atop the stone counter was a large pot of stew which had multiple pieces of meat and vegetable within it. The three of them went to the pot which was being served by a young woman scooping out the stew with a ladle.

The children were lining up for food and the three siblings fell in line. As the others finished getting their food which consisted of a scoop of stew being slopped onto their plate and a piece of tough and difficult to eat bread, they returned and sat down on the benches. "Ah, you three! What'll it be?" She asked. "Ah, do you serve something new?" Sethan exclaimed excitedly. "Nope I was kidding, its same old same old..." The woman answered. She was a half-dozen years older than Metas which meant that she was only a few years older than the eldest of the boys and girls there. She had short, wavy dark brown hair, black round eyes and was rather tall. "Aww... I was hoping we'd get to eat something else except this... muck." Asralyn remarked as she scooped the brown slop down on their plates. "And this bread..." Sethan picked took the bread as it was handed to him and tried to take a bite out of it. "I... think I chipped a tooth." He remarked.

"Do you want me toast it for you?" The woman asked, raising her open palm which had a thin film of flame forming above it. "No, it doesn't make the bread softer or easier to eat." Sethan answered. "It makes it crunchier though, just eat it with the stew. But then again, I'd rather not eat the bread..." Asralyn remarked. "Alright then, suit yourselves." The woman said, putting her hand near the smoldering pieces of wood below the pot and sitting on a bed of rocks and using her flames to reheat it.

Metas then grabbed a piece of bread from a nearby basket for himself. "I thought you weren't hungry?" Sethan asked him. "I need energy for the rest of day, and for that I need food. And despite you two not wanting to eat this, its an important source of energy." Metas said, shoving the bread in his mouth and ripped off a piece with his teeth. "Finally, someone gets it!" The woman remarked. As the three siblings walked away, she called out to them. "Hey, how are you three's training going?" She asked. "I've been completing it, day by day..." Metas remarked. "It's kinda hard, but I think I can get through it..." said Sethan. "I don't think I can take much more of it. It's pretty tiring, everyday I just end up exhausted but... I'm going to try my hardest!" Asralyn exclaimed.

"You'd... better not, you would just tire yourself out everyday and spending less time on yourself on a goal you can't reach." The woman said. "Why? Aren't there other girls in training here and those in the knights?" Asralyn asked. "Eh... Only the strongest and toughest of the women ever get into the knights. You probably won't cut it. Either ending up as a helper or cook like me, or end up stationed somewhere where you do nothing but squat all day." "But physical strength isn't everything, right? There's something else the knights have that makes us different from the other knights or people from the other nations." Sethan remarked. "Yeah our powers over flame. But, have you three unlocked your flames yet?" She said, raising her hand which had a small flame atop it.

"Nope." Said Metas. "No..." Asralyn remarked. "Not... yet." Answered Sethan. "Well if you have your flame, why aren't you in the knights full time?" "Nah, I tried though. But you... You might not be in the knights forever. Well, depends on what you want to do. You might want to do something else, or work as a farmer or something..." She answered. "Hmm... I wanna go where my brothers go." Asralyn answered honestly. "Uh... Sis Flare? Can you guys hurry up? We're getting hungry back here!" Said one boy in the few that lined up behind the three siblings.

"You guys can wait! Wait... Haven't you all been in line already? No seconds allowed! You guys try this everyday!" Flare exclaimed towards the others, with her brandishing her ladle fiercely. Metas turned towards the line and then back to Sethan and Asralyn. "It's time to go." He remarked. "Alright, maybe some of the others haven't eaten yet... Or maybe I'll cave in to the others' demands again." Flare remarked as the siblings walked to the tables. "They took our seats again..." Sethan said softly as he looked upon the long benches to see their usual spot where they sat together were occupied yet again. The seats were practically all occupied and soon the room was filled with noisome chatting, laughter and the ocassional throwing of insults which were almost always broken up immediately after.

"Hmph, there's those three again." A girl said, sitting on the spot where the three siblings were supposed to. She was sitting sideways on the long wooden bench, with her legs raised onto it and leaning on another one of the others who sat beside her. One of her legs was extended fully onto the seat, and the other had her knee raised. She was fit, and had pale white skin, with shoulder length silky black hair and black eyes like small obsidian crystals. "Back in the corner, as they should be. Being treated special just because they were picked up by that old Siegmund." Grumbled one boy in her circle of "friends".

"They were simply unable to take this spot first." Said a boy which sat to the other side of the girl. His eyes were droopy and he appeared to look down upon most of the others in the entire room. He had thick black hair that crept down his head giving him sideburns, and his eyes were an auburn, almost red color. He stared at the three siblings unbrokenly as he sipped water from his cup. "And even still, they refuse to even try to take their seats from us. Their unwillingness makes them weak. I care not that they received preferential treatment from one of our superiors, I only care about their lack of strength. I would respect them if they would at least contest that you took their seats, but alas... Those like them are not fit for the knights." He remarked. "Uh... yeah, Liam... That's what I meant..." Said the other boy.

"Hmm... Is that so?" The girl said, taking a swift bite out her bread with one hand while disinterestedly looking at her nails in her other hand. "Hey Victoria, can I go now. I haven't even gotten any food yet." Said the girl that Victoria was leaning on. "You may... not. I'm still eating. My back will ache if you leave. You will leave once I am done." She spoke softly but determined, as if she was fully certain that the course of events will proceed as she said so. She spoke with a hypnotizing certainty that made others subconsciously believe her words as she did so herself. "You may choose to leave nonetheless. Everyone is free to do as they please. But they aren't free from the consequences of their actions or the reactions of others." Victoria then formed her hand into an upwards point and a slender but harsh plume of flame blasted from her finger.

"After I've done away with you, it would be easy to find someone else to take your place." "Uh... I'll stay, I'll stay." The girl said in response to her threat. But she then lowered her finger, extinguished her flame, and then pointed at the long table counter where the food was being served. "You there, grab food for her. Use my plate." "Huh? Why..." The girl was confused by Victoria's words. "Well done. Those who can't even muster the courage to voice their desires have no use for their own mouths. They are naught but trash that takes up space that others better than them can use. Those who will achieve anything in life are not those who are given everything, like royalty but rather those who are willing to talk, do and effort more... To stand at the same place as others but without having not deserved it... Or something like that." Victoria said, looking down at her fingernails once more. "My thoughts exactly." Liam remarked, still staring off into the distance somewhere.

"Similar enough..." Victoria exclaimed. The one who was ordered by her returned with her plate in their hands and gave it to the girl that Victoria was leaning on. "Uh... Here." He said. "Thanks." She replied with a smile. "You're welcome." Victoria said calmly. "You know, kindness is only for the strong, the capable, and those who are able to take care of themselves. Those who are weak and feeble cannot be kind, lest they end up not being sufficient enough to tend to their own needs. And I... am very kind." She exclaimed proudly.

In the corner, the three siblings stood and leaned on the wall and ate their breakfast. They appeared glum as they watched the others eat sitting down on their tables. Metas dipped his piece of bread into the stew in his brother's plate and took a bite. "Still not hungry?" Sethan asked. "I did it because I was bored of the taste..." Metas answered. "So does it taste better?" Sethan responded. "Tastes the same as usual." Metas replied. "So it tastes like dirt?" Asralyn remarked. "Sorry... Sis Flare..." Asralyn said towards her. "Eh, no worries. If I was forced to eat the same stuff everyday I'd get sick of 'em too." She answered, absent-mindedly scooping a ladleful to the plate of the last one in line.

"It's fine, I guess..." Sethan said, eating another spoonful. "Can't we go take our seats back from them?" Asralyn asked her brothers. "No causing trouble remember? That's what Siegmund said to us. Provoking them would only cause a fight and... We're better off than some of the others." Metas said, gesturing towards the other end of the room. "Hey, my portion's not enough. Get me another one." An older boy said to a younger one in the room. He handed the boy his plate, but as the younger one left to go back towards the kitchen area the older boy grabbed his shoulder and dragged him back. "You forgot to give me your plate." He said as the younger boy reluctantly gave his half-full plate of food to the bully.

"See, we could always be worse off. Just be grateful to what we have now, a plate of food in our hands and a roof over our heads." Said Metas. "It's because they're scared of you that they're not picking on us!" Sethan exclaimed proudly. "Can I at least sit down on the floor?" Asralyn asked. "I'm not stopping you." Said Metas. "But the floor's kinda dirty, so you might not want to sit on it." Sethan remarked. "Well I'm already standing on it..." Asralyn said as she slowly sat down.

From the railing on the second floor, two men walked around the corner from a hall and looked down onto the full eating area below. "So, looks like just another day for the recruits... Through all my years here, looking up at up at the senior knights and to looking down towards the kids like now, it doesn't seem to change." One of them, an old man remarked. "Yes, this nostalgic view never changes." A large stocky man with a mustache replied, before sighing. "Though you've been seeing this view less and less, and I hear you're going to be transferred out soon." He added. "Yep, I don't even know why they're bringing me out of here when I thought they'd stuck me in here because I wasn't useful to them anymore. Just when I started to look forward to being here..." The old man said, as the two of them reached the wooden railing.

The old man had one long grey strand of hair extending from his otherwise bald head which contrasted from his bushy white beard. The old man was thin and tall and wore his old set of armor which now had a faded shine. "Ah, Siegmund... I'll miss haggling with the merchants to reach the budgets the knights gave me to buy supplies for this place. Waking up at night and rounding up the knights to put out a fire one of the kids 'accidentally' started, and... the long renovations and relocations we did because of the damage. And screaming at the kids fooling around in our nightly rounds... Huh, maybe I won't miss this after all..." The old man exclaimed with a chuckle.

Down below, some of the children who had already had access to their flames showed it off to their friends and peers, creating small flames in their palms and made sparks fly from their hands. "Those kids... I hope we don't have to replace all of this wood if they keep playing with their flames like that..." Siegmund remarked. "Remember the fire we had a couple years back? We had to replace most of the place with Dragonwood and cover it with fireproof resin to prevent something like that from happening again." Said the old man. "Premium fireproof timber and expensive resin to boot. I remember that costing a pretty penny..." Siegmund remarked. "They were not too happy about that..." The old man answered.

"Why couldn't we have our recruits stay in a stone building like the castle anyhow? They should know the places where we train our recruits should be the ones that are in the greatest risk of burning up..." Said Siegmund. "Well, this place wasn't originally meant for housing the knights' young recruits so maybe that's why..." The old man remarked. "Come on, we all knew they were cheapskates..." Said a gruff, disgruntled man walking in from behind them. "Ah Darius, finished waking up the recruits?" Siegmund asked. "I'm tired of doing it every morning, you should take over doing the rounds for me." Darius remarked. "Good to see you're in such high spirits this morning." The old man remarked, laughing.

Darius then put his hands on the railing and sighed looking at the children. "The kids, they're... Just kids. Everybody sticks them here and expects troubled kids and orphans to become hardened knights. Their kid burns down a chair or two and we're supposed to fix them right as rain..." "Haven't had your morning coffee yet, huh?" Siegmund exclaimed. The old man sighed before removing his hands on the railing. "You two know that there's another reason why they round up all the kids who reported to have the flame, right? Same reason they do most things: To keep matters under their control. They're not going to let those with the flame to run rampant in the streets and they adopt a twofold reasoning as to why these camps are started. To keep the kids under watch, and under control early. They can't afford to have all that power lost to them. Those who are discovered to have the flame are enlisted into the knights or into training depending on their age... Imprisoned or put into re-education if they don't comply... All because of this." The old man then opened his palm and smoldering smoke rose from his hand.

"Well, that's how the kingdom's always been... We all knew that." Darius remarked. "But I... I see the good that our proud knights do for the kingdom. From the safety of our citizens, from banditry and occupation from foreign nations... To maintaining peace and order within our borders..." Siegmund answered. "A stance that the kingdom itself relishes in spreading... Despite clear evidence to the contrary." Darius exclaimed. "I know... Firsthand the cruelty this kingdom enacts. Yet this cruelty is the one that is keeping the kingdom's flame alight..." Siegmund answered, raising his hand and then clenching his fist.

In the dining area below, the child who had gone to fetch food as per an older boy's command, returned with a plate full of food in hand. "What's this?" The boy asked. "It's what you asked, a plate of food." "What's this paltry pile? I asked for a full plate!" The older boy pushed the plate back aggressively. "This is what they gave me!" The younger one replied, aggravated. "It's not enough, I want more!" The older boy then raised his fist and a pale orange flame formed around his fist.

The commotion was now being slowly noticed more and more amidst the hustle and bustle of the canteen. "You... I was selected from my home because of my flame. But you, you're just some orphan they picked up from the street, what right do you have ordering me around!" The younger boy then backed off warily as the older one threatened him. "Here we go... Let's get the two seperated now." The old man said, as Darius and Siegmund then ran from the banister and down the stairs. "Hey, hey! Cut it out!" Flare exclaimed towards the boys. "We should help them, right?" Sethan remarked to Metas. "They'll... Take care of it." He responded, scanning the surroundings.

"That's enough." Liam remarked, walking up to the elder and younger boys with his arms crossed. "You... You always boss us around like you own the place, but I've never actually seen you use flame. You think you're better than us, but we're the ones who actually deserve to be here. We were chosen and if there's somebody here who deserves to be a knight, it's people like me." The boy with his fist raised said towards Liam, who proceeded forward unperturbed. 'He assumes too much. Well, maybe I should've expected less from him based on his actions...' He thought to himself. Metas observed keenly and had a similar opinion. 'Hmph, at least it'll be a little more quiet after this.' Metas remarked to himself.

"Hey, you've not been here long, right?" Liam asked. "Yeah..." The boy said uneasily, looking around at all the stares of the people all around them. The flame in his hand began to waver and wane. "What's it to you?" He said nervously. "Since you're new here, I think there's a few things you're not familiar about." Liam then walked forward still, raising one of his hands from his crossed arms. Though young in age, he was physically imposing and the fruits of his training were visibly apparent and made him appear threatening in his silence. "Hey kids-" Siegmund began to call out amidst the murmurs but was stopped by Darius whose grim scowl was now replaced by a rare smirk. "Hah... Hah... What is it?" Siegmund asked, as he was tiring from running quickly in his heavy armor.

"Hmm... That boy... Liam is his name, correct?" The old man remarked, walking up from behind the two of them. "Yes, though you've been here less and less to see their training so you may not know their progress..." Darius answered. The boy glanced at the knights and began to lower his fist when Liam then called for his attention. "Don't look at them, look at me." Said Liam, slowly moving forward. "I thought you wanted some more food? Don't raise that fist of yours unless you're ready to use it. That little spark you can make with your hands doesn't make you special. If you keep that up you'll be pushed back, pushed around and flailing around like that... You can't even get your own food... You're not long for this place..." Liam remarked calmly, but with clear distaste.

"What... What did you say?" Said the other boy, his hand flaring up in a blaze, angered once more. "Maybe you didn't hear me because your skull is too thick, or perhaps you're too much of a dullard to understand my words... To put it simply, you're a simpleton whose bark is worse than his bite." Liam said, walking forward unerringly. "You think I can't use my hands? That I'm weak? I've beaten around other kids-" "Kids. Terrorizing the local street children and accidentally setting fire to your parents' barn in the process doesn't mean you're up to snuff." Liam cut the boy off. "How'd you-" "So, the rumors are indeed true. Everyone's cases are well known and spread the day you came here. Your mommy and daddy couldn't give a single damn to take care of the problem they didn't know how to handle so you got tossed down here. Not the first, not the last." Liam said, coming closer and closer.

"You... You..." The boy shook his fist in the air, with tears in his eyes and could barely speak. "Lost for words? So you lost your bark as well..." Liam goaded as he walked closer, now mere inches away from the boy's raised aflame hand. "Hey guys! Stop it already, that's enough!" Flare exclaimed towards them. The boy turned towards her, and then at the crowd behind Liam whose whispers began to grow louder and louder. "I... I..." He looked around frantically, at the stares and murmurs of the others, the sights and sounds then began to blend together as sweat began to roll down his face and his breathing became erratic.

"Well, reap what you sow. This is what your actions lead to." Liam said, still with a stern unbroken gaze. The boy gulped and began to breath harder and harder. "What now?" Liam said in a calm but mocking tone. "Argh!" The boy cried out as he haphazardly threw a fireball towards Liam's direction. "Hmph." Liam remarked as he stepped back and raised his hand, opening his palm and stopping the small ball of flame still. It stopped inches before his hand as he made the flame his own and extinguished it before it could strike him. Small streaks of flame flew in the air towards the crowd of people but stopped midair before it struck anyone.

Those in the room covered their faces with their hands and braced themselves for the shower of flame before it stopped its trajectory. "Woah..." Sethan remarked, as Metas stepped in between the flames and his siblings but the sparks in the air were immobilized. "That was kinda scary..." said Asralyn. "That's enough." Said Siegmund, as he and Darius pulled Liam and the other boy apart. Liam backed away and walked backwards calmly on his own, but the other boy offered no resistance as he looked to the ground, greatly shaken. As Liam walked back to his table, those there looked as the small flames that have stopped in the air and was coalescing towards Flare's hands. "Thanks Flare, that situation could have been more troubling without your help." Siegmund exclaimed. "Ah, it's no problem." She remarked, putting her hands near the base of the pot and used the flame in her palms to set the wood beneath it alight.

Metas turned towards his siblings who were hiding behind his tall stature. "You two alright?" He asked. "Y-yeah! I'm fine!" Asralyn remarked, with one hand clutching to the back of Metas' shirt and the other at tightly holding her plate. "We... Weren't worried. No matter what happens I know you'll protect us!" Sethan exclaimed from behind Metas. "Even if you don't, you're pretty tall so we won't get hit." said Asralyn.

Darius escorted the other boy away, the old man walked to meet Siegmund. "That boy, Liam. He has impressive flame control... Not many I know can protect themselves from flame that well. And at such a young age..." The old man remarked. "He really is quite skilled at the manipulation of flame to protect himself... Even I am not so skilled at the manipulation of flames enough so that I can stand in a blaze and be unaffected." said Siegmund. "That's quite the improvement, a while ago he couldn't even produce his own flame." The old man mused. "Actually, Liam can't conjure up his own flame." Siegmund said, to the old knight's surprise. "Hmm... That's a rare case." He answered.

Liam reached his seat and looked around at the stares of the other kids who were now silent. "Back to your food, if you don't finish eating soon, you won't have enough time until we train." He said to no one in particular, causing the others to start minding their own business once more. "Whew, that situation was a drag, huh?" Victoria remarked, with her tone remaining monotone and calm. "It was nothing, just a distraction. A common ocurrence at that." Liam answered. "And yet why did you intervene? If such an ocurrence was so little and unimportant?" She asked, with her gaze still fixed elsewhere.

Liam was silently staring off into the distance for a while, unclear if he had even heard the question. "Well? Do you have an answer to my question?" She asked. "Hmph." Liam remarked, arms crossed and only facing down at the table. The girl who Victoria had her back leaning on, began to shift in her seat. "What's wrong? Uncomfortable?" Victoria asked her. "No, I am quite fine. Compared to our training, this is nothing." The girl exclaimed proudly. "Good. A most fitting answer. Indeed, such miniscule discomforts are small compared to what we endure each day." Victoria said with a shrewd smirk. "And yet you are the one who is using someone else as a backrest right this instant..." Liam commented.

"I am simply preserving my body's condition in preparation for our training. Sitting like this every day is bad for our backs you know, they should really add backrests to these seats. And besides, anyone is free to lean onto the others as they please." Victoria remarked. "And if one pleases to use you as a backrest, or worst yet: a footstool. Would you simply allow it to occur?" He responded. "Well, obviously not. As I said, anyone is free to do as they please. But in turn, they should be ready for how others act in response. Each action of ours has consequence, whether it be law or the action of others. And my response would be quick and will leave quite a mark." Victoria remarked, raising two of her fingers together with a small flame atop them.

Liam stood from the long bench. "To answer your question from earlier, I simply did as I pleased. It annoyed me and I could not let his arrogant display continue." He stepped over the bench and faced Victoria before he walked away. "I'll not tolerate unfounded and unnecessary ignorance. Even from you." Liam remarked as he walked away. "Hmm..." Victoria exclaimed, still smirking.

"What a bunch of weirdos." Metas said to himself as he watched the exchange while sipping on a cup of water. "Pot calling kettle black." Asralyn said quickly. "Urk." Metas nearly choked on his drink. "We'd best not delay and get ready for training..." He remarked to Sethan and Asralyn. But Sethan stood in place, looking at Liam who was walking away and the other boy who inadvertently started the conflict with his rebuffing of the older boy's demand. "Come on brother, let's go." Asralyn said, tugging onto Sethan's shirt. "Uh, yeah. Let's go." He remarked.

Liam walked towards the younger boy whom was still in place, quite shocked by the earlier turn of events. "Um... I never got to thank you for earlier." The boy said to Liam as he passed. Liam put his hand on the boy's shoulder, which appeared large in comparison. "Listen, kid. What's your name again?" He asked. "It's uh... Lert." The boy stammered. He was of a short height, even Sethan was slightly taller than the boy. He had short brown hair, the shade of which appeared to be sickly pale. His hair was neat though uncombed, unlike Metas whose hair was unruly. He had a frail constitution and had a weary look about him, but black eyes that appeared surprisingly fierce when be was angered.

"Lert, standing up to that other kid took guts." Liam remarked, and Lert's face brightened. "But you're weak, even if you were standing up for yourself, you'd still be pushed around." With Liam's words, the younger boy's smile faded. "But there's still time for someone as weak as you to grow stronger. Train hard, and there might be a small chance that you'll make something of yourself. That is, if this is really the path you want to choose." Liam said, taking his hand off Lert's shoulder and proceeding elsewhere. Lert held his shoulder as it was alike a large weight was removed from it, both as Liam's hand was taken off, and another by his words.

'I'm not entirely sure what his words meant, but I think he meant well!' The boy remarked to himself, feeling invigorated. "Also, don't keep giving your food away. You won't grow if you don't eat." Liam added. With that remark, the boy was inspired further. In the far corner of the room, the two knights discussed the current situation, "Hmph, that Darius. He certainly likes to employ tough tactics on the children." The old man remarked to Siegmund. "Well, he'd say something like 'they won't be able to grow into effective warriors if they aren't humbled early.' " He replied, copying Darius' gruff voice. "Well, I won't put it past him. If these kids were to last as knights of the kingdom, they have to leave their pride and arrogance and learn to endure hardship early." Siegmund added.

"If... If only all of the knights were as virtuous as you are..." The old man said, laughing heartily. "Ah, surely you jest sir. There's plenty of upstanding knights in our order. Though... There are quite a few who tarnish and dilute the purity of the kingdom... Those whom can never be humbled." Siegmund remarked, his tone darkening. "Well... We can't influence those who are already high up, but maybe we can do something for the young ones." The elder knight exclaimed solemnly.

Darius came back from the isolation chambers and walked back to where the other two men were. "Well, you're back fast. How's the kid?" Siegmund asked. "He's fine, just feeling glum. He'll get over it." He answered. "I take it he didn't handle young Liam's words well?" The senior knight asked. "At least he didn't throw a destructive tantrum. We've had some fiery tempers over the years that took a few of us knights to control... I don't want to experience those ugly times again..." Siegmund exclaimed. "Well, that's what the isolation rooms are for." The old knight remarked. "But those are just temporary... They don't solve the problem entirely..." Darius remarked, sighing. "Well, it's been some time. Let's all get back to work, there's plenty to do for the rest of the day. The other knights and instructors must be already here." Siegmund said, as he and the other two dispersed and went to their separate ways and duties.

As the three of them left, the trainees began to finish up with their morning conversation and breakfast, and went into preparation for their morning training. "Hey guys, I know I say this everyday but please bring your plates to the counter here after eating! And also try to finish all of your food, can't go the rest of the day with an empty stomach!" Flare exclaimed to the entire room. The trainees were handing over their plates and cups on the table over to her and she stacked them as she collected them.

Metas, Sethan and Asralyn walked up to the table, with the former laying down only a cup compared to the others laying down a cup and a plate. "You... You were so cool back there!" Sethan excitedly exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah! How... How did you even do that?" Asralyn excitedly remarked. "Ah, pssht. That... That was no problem!" Flare said, brushing the matter off. "Thank you... For protecting all of us. Things could have gotten dangerous without your help." Metas said earnestly.

"Aw thanks, you're making me blush..." Flare remarked shyly. "Maybe I'll become a lunchlady after all if I'll be able to pull of something like that..." Asralyn exclaimed. "Yeah, me too!" Sethan remarked. 'Ack,"lunchlady"...' Flare remarked to herself. "Ah well, what I can do with my flame isn't really dependent on what I do. Rather, it's something that's learned through training and practice. Maybe it's something even you three can do. Provided, if you three can unlock your flames..." She remarked. "I'm going to train hard and practice, so I can get mine!" Sethan exclaimed."I hope I can get my flame early..." Said Asralyn. "Hrm." Metas exclaimed.

"You seem to clean a lot of these plates, spoons and cups everyday. Do you want our help to wash them?" Sethan asked, looking down at the pile. "If you need any help, there's three of us, so..." Asralyn remarked. "Oh no, no... You guys need to take time for training, and I do this everyday so I'm used to it. Besides, for most of the day after this I almost have nothing to do, and I prefer doing this anyway." Flare answered. "Oh... okay!" Sethan exclaimed. "We need to get going and get ready for training." Metas remarked. "Wait, I noticed that you only handed over your cup. Are you eating enough lately?" Flare asked him, as the three began to leave..

"I'm... eating enough. Thank you for the concern." Metas said, continuing with the others. "Remember, eating a lot isn't good for you, but not eating at all isn't good for you either!" Flare exclaimed to them as they left. "We'll keep it in mind, see you later!" Sethan exclaimed. "Bye!" Asralyn remarked. The three siblings then went back to their room to prepare their training clothes. As they passed through the doorway, the others were already suiting up in preparation for their daily training. "Last... As always..." Victoria audibly remarked, much to the chagrin of the three. "Tsk." Asralyn remarked. "Don't mind her." Metas reminded them. "Hmph..." Sethan angrily grumbled.

The three walked to their respective beds and reached under. They each pulled out a small wooden crate with an old and used small lock on it. Metas reached into his shirt and pulled our a small and thin chain necklace with two keys attached to it. He undid the bind of the necklace and knelt to open his box. He then handed the other key to Asralyn who was nearby. "Why do you have to carry my key with you? I can keep and hide it myself fine!" Asralyn exclaimed. "Shh, be quiet. Someone could hear you. If you want to know why, it's because you could lose it, or have it taken from you by someone else." Metas remarked quietly while unlocking and opening his box. "I know, I know. You told me already, but..." Asralyn pouted as she unlocked and opened her box.

"A knight has to keep their most important possessions close, or hide them where their enemy cannot find them. That's what Knight Siegmund says. And it's a skill that I've mastered for myself." Sethan said proudly, imitating Siegmund's booming voice. He looked around for a moment to ensure nobody was watching, and then tried to furtively retrieve his key on his bed, trying to hide where it was kept. "It's under the mattress and the bed frame again, isn't it." Asralyn remarked, which flummoxed Sethan. "Ack! He's... Brother is right, you should really keep quiet Lyn!" Sethan exclaimed. "You've gotten really good at that Lyn. As Siegmund said: Having a keen eye for finding things is a virtue in the battlefield. You may find a hidden advantage, or unearth enemy secrets." Metas said sarcastically.

"Hmph, it's just that it's too easy to find every time." Asralyn replied. "Shut up, you guys..." Sethan remarked. While speaking to one another, the three had put on their rudimentary training gear. Which consisted of worn-out leather bracers, shin-guards, kneepads, and a leather breastplate. "This stuff is... Heavy. And it's still too big for me to fit in." Asralyn remarked. "This stuff's actually pretty light! I got my hands on the metal plate that the knights actually use and I could barely lift it! And to think that the knights run around and fight in that stuff!" Sethan exclaimed. "Huh... I wonder how long do we have to train to be strong enough like the other knights?" Asralyn wondered.

"Years of training... And practice, and regular hard work." Metas remarked, putting on the last of the armor. "Ehh... That seems like too much for us to do..." Asralyn remarked. "That's why we need to make the best use of our day and train as much as we can to be strong as fast as possible." Metas remarked. "Yeah, yeah! We need to work hard and train so that we can be great knights!" Sethan exclaimed. Metas walked over to Asralyn seated on her bed and extended his hand forward down towards her. She reached for it and Metas pulled her up to her feet. "Thanks." She remarked. "I was asking you to hand over your key." Said Metas.

"Hmph..." Asralyn exclaimed as she begrudgingly handed over her key back to Metas who chained both it and his key to his necklace. The three then walked over to the door where the others had already passed, leaving them the last three behind. But just outside in the hall, Victoria stood there waiting for them. "A shame that you should spend all that time training though it would be all for naught as it would have been wasted on you lot..." She said with a grin. Metas put a hand on one of each of his siblings' shoulders and steered them away as they walked past her. Sethan and Asralyn hid their contempt by looking downwards, as their brother wordlessly stared daggers towards Victoria.

"So, heading to the training grounds again today? No surprise. All simpletons repeat the exact same action over and over expecting a change... Though all of that effort will be merely squandered for that of your like..." She added, further taunting them. The three siblings then simply avoided her and started down the hall behind the others who were walking to the grounds. Victoria leaned on the wall, her smile widened still as she followed them with the intent to further her mockery. "Well... I admit it is indeed courageous still to attempt to pursue your desires though they've yielded little so far..." "Hmph..." Metas grumbled. "Do you three need any reminders of your lack of skill? Sethan, the boy who can't barely muster to swing a sword for more than a few seconds. Metas the elder, who cannot stand for himself and his siblings, and who has yet to unlock his flame. And Asralyn..." "What's your problem?" Sethan interrupted her.

"Oh my, gained a backbone finally?" Victoria remarked. Sethan stopped in his tracks and turned around, gently removing his brother's hand from his shoulder. Metas was surprised but stood back and allowed his younger brother to step forward. "That's a lot of talk for someone who has other people to do everything for them. I'm surprised they aren't carrying you around right now." Sethan snapped, to no objection from his brother. Asralyn looked up expectantly at Metas, wondering if he was going to intervene.

"So you're saying you think I'm weak and you're calling me the one incapable instead of you..." Victoria remarked. "Yeah!" Sethan exclaimed. "But you know firsthand, I eclipse you all in every which way. That is why I am free to command others as I please. It's not that I can't... I simply do not want to, and I am able to do as I please." She remarked, crossing her arms. "But... having an attitude like that... It's going to make you complacent and, and... In battle, its going to cost you!" Sethan exclaimed having some difficulty in finding his words. "Yeah!" Asralyn remarked. "That is true, those who boast about their ability and rely solely on others to do their bidding are not well to be exposed to battle." Victoria answered. "Wait... Did you just agree with me?" Sethan asked, confused. Metas appeared to be perplexed as well.

"And yet the one standing before you knows that she will prevail in the press of battle. And she does not require the aid of any other." Victoria leaned in and spoke with such arrogance and confidence, that it seemed like she was restating an obvious truth. "Wha..." Sethan remarked, confused and worried. 'She's really convinced of that, huh...' Metas said to himself. 'I can't understand what she's saying... I can't understand her at all...' Asralyn thought.

"Well, I have to get going to training now. I don't want to be late, you three best not tarry... Lest I miss out on your incompetencies yet again!" Victoria remarked, delightfully skipping away. "Hey, what's... What's your problem? What do you even get?" Sethan exclaimed, frustrated. "I have plenty to gain with my actions, seeing what happens after and your reactions are ample enough rewards!" She exclaimed, as she went out of earshot. Metas walked forward and calmly put his hand back on Sethan's shoulder. "See, she just wanted to get a reaction from you. People like her are the types who'll be winners in their eyes no matter how you respond, best just not to engage with them." He remarked. Sethan sighed. "I... guess so." He exclaimed. "Let's just go." Asralyn said, walking ahead of them.

The three of them exited into an open area devoid of grass and the ground outside was covered in dirt and dust. "Hmph..." Metas remarked, covering his face with his hand from the harsh sun outside. Asralyn yawned and rubbed her eyes in response to the outside. "It's going to be another tiring day..." She remarked to herself. "Another new day, a new chance filled with opportunities!" Sethan exclaimed. He looked around to see the other trainees idling and standing around, some of them forming into lines in preparation for the arrival of the knight instructor.

Liam was standing in the shade with his arms crossed, standing and staring out solemnly. A few of them outside were in chatting and in friendly conversation with each other, but most had serious expressions, awaiting a hard day of toiling ahead. Victoria walked confidently, smiling as the others parted for her to walk forward, the others looking upon her like some strange and frightening being, beyond their understanding. "Hmm..." Sethan frowned upon seeing her. He then saw Lert walking up and standing in line, appearing to beaming bright and emboldened. "Good for him, I guess..." Sethan said to himself, and then he looked around trying to search for someone.

"Where..." "Who are you looking for?" Metas asked him, with him holding Asralyn's shoulder with one hand. "Oh, that boy from earlier, he isn't here. I guess he's still in isolation." Sethan answered. "Well of course, I don't think they'd let him out that quickly..." Asralyn remarked. "Are you worried that he'll do something if he gets back? Don't worry, I think he's learned his lesson. And even if he didn't, the same thing would probably happen. Or he'll get punished or kicked out by the knights." Metas remarked. "No, I was just..." Sethan said, before his voice trailed off. "Nothing, let's just get in line..." He remarked glumly.

The three of them then slowly made their way to the back of one of the lines and stood waiting. "Why do they always say that training is in an hour, when they expect you to be here 15 minutes earlier, and you have to be here even earlier than that?" Asralyn grumbled. "Knights have to be punctual and be ready for combat before the enemy arrives. It is better to be ready and have time to prepare, than to be late and be ambushed by a prepared opposing force." Sethan exclaimed, in a tone that seemed like he was reciting a lesson taught to them verbatim. "You have all that memorized now, huh." Metas remarked. "Of course, what I lack in training I can make up for in knowledge!" He proudly exclaimed. "Is that so..." Asralyn said, not matching his zeal for knighthood.

Asralyn stepped forward in line, and so did Metas before he noticed his brother's expression. "Were you... concerned about him?" Metas whispered. "Uh, not really... But, he looked really sad..." Sethan replied. "Don't worry, he's probably going to be fine." Metas remarked. Sethan raised his head and walked in front of Metas. 'Probably, huh...' He said to himself. "A-ttention!" A voice echoed from the front, prompting all those in line to stand straight, and those not in line to quickly run into formation with the others. 'I wonder how's he doing, now...' Sethan thought as he put his fist over his chest, as did the others at the command of the knight instructor.

In the brick lined damp walls of the isolation cells, the boy from earlier sat in solitary sulking. Behind the rusted iron bars of the door, he kept thinking about what happened earlier. In tears, he was led to the area by Darius but offered no resistance. In a corner room of the large building, there was a locked iron door leading to the isolation area, with a hallway leading to rooms which also had locked iron doors for each of them. A guard was sleepily sitting down in a chair near the first door, though there the isolation rooms were vacant. "Oh! Sir Darius, what matter can I help you with today?" The guard was startled into wakefulness as Darius walked by.

Darius brought out the boy and led him to the door. "The kid, he's staying in there for a little bit. Looking at him now it looks like he's not really a danger, but he just needs time to cool off. And besides, it wouldn't be good for him to be back with the others. For him, and for the other kids." The knight remarked. The guard stood up, and then fished out a ring of keys to open the door. Darius nudged the boy forward, and turned away to walk off. "Just keep him for a while. Give him some food and water if he needs it, and if he stays calm, let him out maybe after the kids' morning training session." He said as he walked away. "Yes, sir." The guard said, saluting.

"Well kid, you heard him." The guard said, opening the door to the chambers and walking inside with the boy following. He unlocked one of the nearby cells and then gestured for the boy to walk inside. The boy complied, sullenly walking inside and sitting on the cool brick seat within the cell. The guard locked the cell behind him and then sat back on his chair outside with a sigh. The boy leaned back and looked upwards towards the ceiling and then rubbed his eyes with his arm. He gripped his knees with his hands tightly, and then gritted his teeth as he silently stifled his crying. After minutes of silence, the guard outside spoke up. "Hey kid, what's... your name?" He said, trying to alleviate boredom. "Uh... Wha- What?" The boy said, surprised and rubbing his eyes. "Your name? Well, don't say it if you don't want to." The guard said, yawning. "It's... Endro." The boy shyly said.

"Good to know. What... Exactly happened back there, Sir Darius wasn't really clear on the details." The guard asked. He was a young knight and only recently achieved knighthood, and was eager to relieve the mundanity of his menial task. "I was just... being stupid. I..." Endro couldn't find the right words to say. "Well if you don't want to talk, then..." The guard remarked. "No, I... I..." The boy pounded on the brick wall with his fist. "Okay..." The guard outside exclaimed, turning in his seat and leaning to get a comfortable sleeping position. "Hey, Mister uh... knight. What's going to happen to me now?" Endro asked.

The guard chuckled and said: "Don't... Don't worry kid, just go back and avoid getting into trouble. If you do that, you'll be fine and dandy." "I... hope so." The boy answered. He had heard rumors from the other streetchildren that he used to push around near his home about the knights after he complained his parents were planning on sending him there. "You're... Not going to last a day there! The kids there train all day, and the knight teachers there are super strict! You won't be able to bully everyone like you always do!" A child said to Endro. "Hmph, those goody-two shoes knights are chumps! I'm betting none of them have a flame as strong as mine! I'll go there and show them all who's boss! Then I'll be the strongest and biggest knight, then I'll make those two regret sending me there!" Endro had remarked, holding the other kid with one hand and threatening him with a closed flaming fist. 'They were right, all of them were right...' Endro thought, sitting inside the cell. 'Stupid mom and dad for sending me here, all of them so stupid. But...' "So am I." He remarked out loud.

"I just wanted... They all didn't... I..." Endro said, muttering through another outpouring of tears. "You know one day, you're not going to get everything you want, just because you say so Endro..." His mother had told him. "Why? You want me to be happy right? Everything you do is for me right? Then why won't you give me what I want?!" Endro whined. "We're just trying to give you what's best for you." His father told him empathetically. "I don't want what's best for me, I want what I want!" Endro had yelled, before starting a small flame because of his rage and running off out of the house. "They don't care about me... Nobody cares about me... If I'm going to get anything I want... I'll have to get it!" Endro said to himself, sulking far outside his home. "I... only care about myself. He's... right." Endro remarked out loud, remembering Liam's words.

"When I first got my flame, I thought they were just trying to get rid of me... But..." He recalled the various times that he accidentally started flames in the house, and the deeply sorrowful looks on his parents' faces every time he did so. "I thought they were ashamed to have a son like me, but maybe... Maybe they were just worried about me... And when I got angry at them, I felt that they were angry at me... And I was too embarrassed to act like normal, so I was just angry at them all the time. And at myself... And everyone else..." He quietly said to himself. "You're going to make a great knight, you're going to help and protect us all!" His mother's words echoed in his head. "It must've been hard, and I... I ignored everything and only thought about what I wanted. I'm... a disgrace as a son... I... hate myself." Endro cried.

After a few more minutes of silence, he spoke up again. "Mister guard, did you hear anything?" Endro asked. "What?" The guard asked. "I was asking if you heard what I said." The boy loudly called out. "Nope, you just woke me up. I was dozing off so if you said anything, I didn't hear it." The guard answered. "Oh, okay. I guess that's better if you didn't hear anything." Endro remarked. "Alright. Just... say if you... need anything." The guard said. Away from the boy's view, the guard rubbed his eyes. 'When I get home... I'm going to say thank you to my parents!' The guard thought, having heard everything that the boy said.

"Mister guard, one last question if you still want to answer..." Endro asked. "Uh... yeah, fire away." "What happens to the people who are put in here, but they keep being bad, or if they're acting dangerous?" The boy asked. "Well, if we can't handle them, and they won't listen to reason if we keep them a while... They're treated as dangerous, and as a criminal and taken to where the others are." "And that is?" "Well, prison or those other places they send dangerous people to." With that answer, Endro gulped. 'I'm... not sure how I'll be a knight. And I don't even know if I want to... But I don't want to end up going to prison... And if I get sent home, I don't know what to say to them... So...' He thought.

"I'm going to be the best knight that I can be! I... need to be!" Said Endro. "That's great kid. But, maybe save your gusto for later. You'll be staying here a little while after all." The guard remarked. "Alright... I... need to think about a lot of things." Endro sighed, he could do nothing but think and wait inside the cold damp cell.

Outside in the hot sun, the others' training continued. Their regimen was split into parts, and the morning training consisted of rigorous physical exercise and activity. Marching, running in laps, push-ups for those who could handle it. Though most crawled into the shade, exhausted. Ordering them around was a gruff and grizzled commander, with a slight limp and a small scar above one eyebrow, whose expression was disgruntled and serious.

He set forth a routine, numbered counts of movements, and set timed durations for each physical activity. Most pushed themselves to the extent of their limits, and he could see that they had fully worn themselves out and accepted the fact that most could not go on further. He had his eyes on those that remained, those who could endure and better themselves with every day of training.

"Hah... Hah..." Sethan remarked, lying down on the shade exhausted. The sun had moved and created a shadow from the top of the building that surrounded the vacant grounds, and most of the recruits had crept into it. "Water... water..." Asralyn said, struggling to stand up and walk towards a few set of tables near a door leading into the building. Flare exited and then brought out a tray with a stack of cups and two pitchers and brought it onto the table. The recruits struggled to stand up and walked to hydrate themselves, after taking the toll of the activity.

"Here, drink up guys." Flare remarked, as the recruits helped themselves to gulp down an entire glass of water, for them each. "Don't drink too much though, too much water is bad for you." She added. "Thanks-" Asralyn's voice was muffled as she guzzled down the water. She then handed the cup to her brother who drank quickly. Sethan left a small amount of water which he then splashed onto himself. "It's... so hot out here..." He remarked.

"Knights should be prepared to fight in scorching temperatures, as they fight hand in hand with fire and heat itself." The knight instructor said, looming behind Sethan. "Oh, uh sir!" Sethan exclaimed, turning around and saluting. "At ease." The knight said in response. "We might want to push the trainees to their extremes to better themelves, but we can't make use of them if they're dead." said Flare. "Just as expected knightess, you were under the command of Sir Dreilond, correct?" The instructor remarked. "You flatter me sir, but I'm... not that person anymore." She answered. "My apologies, those times are past for both of us. But... we can still be of use to the kingdom anyhow." The knight answered. "Anyway..." He then turned around towards the trainees, a few of which who remained were doing push-ups. Slowly and steadily, their movements were now measured and made for endurance. It was more of a competition against exhaustion than a contest between each other.

"You there, stand up. I can tell you're putting on an act!" The instructor called out. "Hmph..." One boy lying on the ground remarked, standing up in the sunlight where the others were still training. They stood up and walked towards the shade where the others were standing. "That... never gets old..." The instructor said, chuckling to himself. "How... did you know that he was faking it, sir? If you allow me to ask?" said Sethan. "You can tell by their position on the ground, their breathing compared to others and..." The knight instructor spoke. "Yeah, but he also just said what he said earlier to see if anyone fell for it..." Flare whispered into Sethan's ear.

"Erm, ehem... Yes, well observed. Of course, outsmarting your enemy with wit does not require the sharpest senses... " The instructor said, then turning towards the recruit walking towards them into the shade. "Recruit! Lying flat like that in the sun, why did you pretend to be tired? If you felt fatigue, you were free to retreat here with the others if you so wished, you need not feign exhaustion to do so!" He said loudly, but sternly. "I-" The recruit started, but the instructor interrupted. "Save your breath recruit. Laying in the sun like that will only endanger your health, it is pointless to trick others if it is to the detriment of yourself. Drink some water." He added. The boy drank water offered by Flare happily and then said: "So... am I not being punished?" He asked. "You are. Run twenty laps around, and do fifty push ups to make up for your lost time. Go." The instructor remarked. The boy then sighed, put down the cup and then began to run.

"That's rough." said Asralyn. "I... feel a little bad, but I think it's pretty fair. He's only making up for the things he didn't do." Sethan remarked. "Well... Now let's see how the others do..." The instructor said, watching the ones who remain. 'The ones that remain now... They're ones who have the strength and endurance to continue, or wills that enable them to push on despite that.' He thought. Only a handful of them remained now, with their number continously dwindling from earlier. "Rise! Run in place!" He exclaimed. The recruits stood up, but one of them walked forward towards the shade. Metas reached the shade, slowly inhaling and exhaling showing exhaustion.

The other recruits sitting tiredly were watching and voting amongst themselves, trying to determine and root for their chosen remaining recruit. "Aww... I hoped he would be in longer, but he always gets out early!" One of them exclaimed. 'Even the other children can see it. Metas... There is potential in him. But of what purpose does he have in stopping early. Whatever the case, he made a good effort.' The instructor thought. As Metas passed him, the knight gave him a stern look in the eyes to show that he was aware. "Hmph." The instructor remarked, and Metas was silent. "That's alright, that was good! Better than what I did!" Sethan said to his brother. Metas sat next to his siblings with an exhale. "You should've gone on for longer! You could've!" Asralyn whispered towards his brother.

"I don't need to. I only do the exact amount I need and I'm done. No need to be like the others and overexert myself, there's more for the day ahead. And tiring myself this early, will only make things harder for me for the rest of the day; no need to show off..." said Metas. "Hmph..." Asralyn remarked, having no rebuttal. "For example." Metas said pointing at one of those who remained. Lert had barely finished lifting himself off of the ground from the push-ups, and had started to feebly run. "Kid, that's enough for now. Come to the shade." The instructor exclaimed. "Hah... Hah... What? Okay..." He muttered, too preoccupied with the task and his exhaustion and lost awareness of himself.

Lert stumbled forward, but then fell on his face. "Yikes, I was kinda proud for him earlier but now..." Asralyn remarked. "Someone, bring him to medical." The instructor said towards the recruits. Sethan began to stand up but Metas stopped him by putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Someone else will take care of it." Metas remarked. Sethan was concerned, but his brother's words proved true as Flare and a few of the resting recruits ran forward to assist Lert.

"Let them handle it." The instructor said to Flare, as two recruits went over to the boy on the ground. "I'm... fine. I just need some water..." Lert said, raising his head and lifting himself up into a sitting position. "Well... You're enthusiastic today, aren't you?" Flare exclaimed. "I'm... all fired up!" Lert said, after gulping down a cup of water. "Well, I hope you can use that fire to finally unlock your flame later." The instructor remarked, looking back towards the remaining recruits.

"Run laps!" He exclaimed, and they heeded his command. One by one, they dropped off from exhaustion. "Good try!" "Good job!" "You can do it!" The tired recruits cheered on the ones who remain, and consoled those who fell behind. "I can go on... No, I can't." One boy said, falling to the ground. "My... legs..." A girl remarked, being forced to be seated by the strain of running. "Hah... I... give up." Another recruit said, with their legs giving way, and fell seated. "Well... Who could have guessed... Those two again." said Asralyn. "I was really expecting one of the others, but..." said Sethan. 'It's... only the two of us left again. After a little more, I'll be content with the daily amount I train. No need to drag this out. But her...' Liam looked back towards Victoria. She looked forward towards him with a sly smirk.

'Not quite sure how she's keeping pace. I suppose she trains the hardest and does more... I'll stop here and let her have the "win".' Liam thought to himself. As he began to slow to a halt, Victoria caught up with him but then began to slow to his pace. "Hmm?" Liam audibly remarked, confused. He began to speed up once Victoria intentionally lagged behind, proving his suspicions as she sped up just to be right behind him. "Hmph..." Liam exclaimed, slowing down again only for the same result to occur.

The recruits, the instructor, and Flare all watched perplexed as the the two circled around the grounds. "What are you..." Liam muttered as he slowed down running, then sped back up again. All of the spectators' heads followed the two as they moved, the instructor even forgot to give a different instruction to them. "Alright..." Liam said, abruptly stopping in his tracks so Victoria was forced to move forward. As she passed, Victoria looked back towards him. "Hup." She remarked, snapping her fingers on both hands, creating streams of flame that blasted her backwards past Liam. "Looks like... You're first out of all of us again..." She exclaimed. "Whoa..." One recruit said. "She's arrogant... But she can backup her attitude with her actions!" Sethan remarked. "But that doesn't mean she can just push us around..." Said Asralyn."I know, I know. It's just... Grr... Frustrating! I'm going to train hard and get my flame soon!" Sethan exclaimed.

Metas' gaze narrowed as he observed Victoria. "Recruit! No unauthorized use of flame in training!" The instructor called out. "Why... why is that?" She asked as she approached him. "You could've gotten yourself or somebody else hurt." said Flare. Victoria looked towards her, and then back towards the instructor, still smiling. "Who'd I hurt? Liam? That was a fraction of the strongest flame that he can stop. And besides, haven't I proven that I can control my flame to a precise degree?" She remarked. "Tch." The instructor exclaimed, he looked to see Knight Darius was observing the training session, smiling proudly.

The instructor looked back towards Victoria and said: "Accidents can happen, is all..." He then walked away. "We just don't want another fire to start here." Flare remarked. "I'll keep that in mind." Victoria said, keeping her ever-present smile. The instructor sighed and said: "Alright! Training session is over! Back inside, rest, and be ready for Flame Training in an hour!" "Yes!" "Finally!" "I was afraid he was going to make all of us go another round again..." The recruits cheered and commented in response to the instructor. "Get up and get inside! Lest I have you all do another hundred laps!" He exclaimed, slightly annoyed.

"And... we're out of here." Sethan said, standing up quickly and lifting Asralyn up with him. "Let's... go." Asralyn said, quickly shuffling up and following after her brother. "You can stop now and join the others inside." The instructor said towards the boy who had tried to fool him earlier. "Thank... Thank you, sir..." He said as he dropped to the ground not being able to continue pushing-up. Metas stood up and continued to observe without leaving. He saw Liam silently go back inside without talking to any of the other recruits. Liam turned towards Victoria who grinned widely back towards him. "Well..." She did a half-curtsy towards him. "Hmph..." Liam remarked, sighing and making his way back inside. Metas turned around and as he reached the door, Victoria ran up to him and whispered in his ear. "You can choose to stay weak, if you choose..." She said as she ran past.

Metas clenched his fists tightly before proceeding indoors. The instructor sighed as the recruit he had "punished" left, looking up at the open window and seeing Darius had left. "This heat... I've been here for barely an hour, but my back hurts and I'm tired already. Hmph, guess this is my reward for all my years of service to the knights. At least I spend most of the day indoors. Not like those old commanders still out in the front lines, guess me getting this was actually a blessing in disguise." He remarked, patting his leg and limping over to the table to get a glass of water. "I suppose, we're both lucky to be staying here. But... some of them aren't..." said Flare.

"You mean... the recruits?" The instructor asked, after drinking from a cup. "I know not all of them will make the cut, and not all of them will be stationed in the front lines but..." Flare remarked. "Once a recruit, always a recruit; for better or worse. They'll all be striving hard to be knights. For patriotism, for fear of disappointing their parents, to simply accomplish something because its all they've ever known in their life, and that they'll be shamed by the people if they fail to achieve one of the kingdom's highest honors. Even if they retire to some other task or line of work, those who possess the flame will never see outside of Lodeleth's borders, nor will the kingdom's eyes cease following them because of their power that they so desperately want to keep under their grasp." The instructor said, shaking his cup like one would shake a glass of liquor.

Flare looked around cautiously, and the instructor noticed. "Don't worry, the eyes and ears of the kingdom aren't around here. We're safe. And... as for the children..." He sighed, before continuing with: "The only thing we can do for them now is to try to prepare them, for the coming struggle ahead of them. But... Too harsh of a flame will break a blade, and will make it brittle and crack if its quenched. Different types of blades and ores require varying levels of the flame to temper properly, only then a fine weapon is forged. Bah! What do I know anyway, I'm no blacksmith..." He exclaimed.

Grey clouds covered the harsh midday sun as a slow breeze rolled and blew through the empty training ground. "I'll... be making my way back indoors now." Flare remarked. "Go on ahead, I'll be staying here a while longer..." The instructor answered. Flare bowed before going back indoors. Inside, the trainees employed different activities to pass the time before their next training session. Some went back to their rooms and rested on their beds, some went to the common area and chatted amongst themselves, though food was no longer being served and they merely sat at the tables and benches. A few aimlessly wandered the halls of the building, and others prepared for their next training session.

Metas met with his two siblings waiting for him near the entrance. "So... What are we going to do now, while we're waiting for training I mean." said Sethan. "Do... what we normally do. Rest, prepare, or you can do whatever you want before the time we train." Metas answered. "What... are you two going to do?" Sethan asked his siblings. "Uh... I guess go to the bathroom, drink some water, try to sit down so I'm not tired when we train next. And... I'm staying with you." Asralyn remarked. "I'm going to do... the usual." Metas remarked, looking out towards the outside past the window. "Going outside again?" Sethan asked him. "Mhm." Metas exclaimed, nodding.

"Alright, see you before the next training session." Sethan said. "Right." said Metas. As Metas walked away, Asralyn clung to the shirt of Sethan's sleeve and said: "I... can't understand him sometimes, but I... know he really cares about us." Her brother sighed. "I know I don't talk about it much, but about our parents..." "We... don't talk about them, right?" Asralyn remarked. "I know. I... don't even remember anything much about them, and I've always wanted to know just... Just who they were, and I know brother knows and he's not telling but... I think it's harder for him because he remembers..." said Sethan.

"What... do you mean?" Asralyn asked, perplexed. "Well... We don't remember them, and we want to find out, but we can't. We don't have anything to look back on fondly, but that also means that we can only look forward to the future! But if there's a past that he remembers, there's a 'back then' that he knows, he might be missing it..." He remarked, solemnly.

In the common area, Victoria gulped down a cup of water. "Hah... Hah... Another." Victoria wiped her forehead with one hand, and then slammed the cup down on the table demanding a refill. Flare refilled the cup, though slightly irritated by Victoria's nonchalant demand of her. "Uh, so... Great work at training earlier." She said, trying to be pleasant. "As always. As will be always." Victoria responded smugly. "Hmph... Well... You're doing good in physical training, flame training, and combat training. You're on your way to become a great knight! You may be one of the top candidates in the recruits here." Flare exclaimed.

"Naturally. Though such praise is high from one who was in the same position from years past. However faded your flame has become now..." Victoria remarked. "Is that so..." Flare answered, astounded. 'Was... that a compliment? Can she even offer compliments that aren't backhanded?' She thought to herself. "Fret not, I realize that there are a variety of reasons why people choose the decisions they make, and it is not in my position to pass judgement on others if they desire to step down from knighthood..." said Victoria. 'Somehow, I doubt that. Wait...' Flare thought. "How do you know or rather... Were you told by them?" She remarked. "It's no secret, and the rumors are pervasive enough to make a good guess. I need not gossip about the confidences of others to know." Victoria answered.

"So what do you make of it?" Flare asked. "Of what?" The girl asked. "The situation, what you've heard from the rumors. What do you make of what I've done?" said Flare. "From a logical point of view, it is reasonable to expect such a choice from someone in your position. After such an event, many have ceased to fight at the front lines and many have stepped down from the knights altogether. Though if all knights who go through such experiences quit, there'd be a lot less of the knights today." Victoria exclaimed. "What about your own point of view, your personal opinion? Many more knights will go in combat and wage war. And no matter how much prowess or promise they have, they are unable to withstand the toll it takes on the mind. Can you?" Flare asked sternly.

Victoria's smile disappeared for a moment, replaced by a neutral but serious stare. Then, she formed a wide grin and said: "I will, or I won't. That is all that remains to be done." There was silence as the two glared at one another. "Well, I've got to be going. I need to prepare for the training that I will be excelling at." Victoria remarked, walking away. After she had left, Flare sighed. "This job can be pretty difficult at times..." She said to herself. Flare looked around at the silent room, where the other recruits were staring. "I don't need to say it, but you all saw nothing." She remarked.

They all awkwardly turned around and tried to continue as if nothing had happened. Liam had seen the event from around a corner, and went back to his room. He sat down onto his bed near the window and stared outside, immersed in thought.Liam recalled the conversation that he had overheard earlier. 'Their words ring true. They are both correct. Life tests all organisms in various ways. Where it be physical or mental, our only choice is to resist and survive, or to fall and be swept away like dregs. Thus, we can only become strong, as the weak will be washed away by the tide of life's hardships. The strong survive and the weak fall.' He stood up and put his hand on the windowsill. He looked out into the city, from where he was he could see a part of the slums, the buildings of the city proper, and at the nearby towering castle. 'It's only an option for the few who can afford to be weak. But for those of us who have no choice...' His hand tightly grasped the wooden windowsill. 'I am strong so I can survive, I have the strength required to live in this world... But...' Liam lowered his hand and showed a regretful expression on his face.