Amelia Thornheart

Chapter Forty-Eight: The Northern Swordmaster

For the first time in a long time, Serena woke up in an Amelia-less room. Her sleep had undoubtedly suffered for it. She’d become accustomed to the soft warmth of Amelia’s body next to hers, and without her girlfriend’s gentle breathing, the night seemed awfully quiet. She’d tossed and turned for an hour before arranging no less than three pillows into a line next to her, which she held until she eventually fell asleep. The pillows were a poor substitution for her human but they had saved her from a sleepless night.

She even found she missed Amelia’s snoring. Amelia refused to admit that someone ‘as cute as she was’ would snore, no matter how often Serena complained about it. It had gotten to the point where Serena was prepared to bring in an axiom crystal to record her as evidence.

It was early, and only the very first tendrils of the morning light were streaking through the windows. Before she’d manifested the first aura, mornings like these would be a sordid affair as the chill in the air would send shivers down her back, forcing her to remain in the warmth of the bedding. Now, many years on, getting up and starting her day was an effortless routine.

Serena washed and dressed. She’d been provided with an instructor's uniform. The clothes balanced practicality and military fashion, invoking a sense of dignity and authority. A yellow belt tied it off, signifying Serena was capable of at least the third aura, the highest aura achievable before needing to Speak the First Word.

Leaving her lodgings, Serena made her way down the stairs and through the nostalgic corridors. She wasn’t seeking out Amelia, or anyone else for that matter. Serena was making her way towards the training hall. Her time in Kenhoro under Grandmaster Gu made her realise how few hours she’d spent personally training. Her time was eaten up by her military duties, time which was further occupied by a certain bundle of smug blond energy. Serena planned to make full use of the Asamaywa facilities while she was here for the semester.

On her way, she didn’t see a single pair of horns. The vast majority of the academy was still sleeping, and it wouldn’t be for another hour until the kitchen staff woke to prepare the students breakfast. Serena reached the doors to one of the training grounds. It wasn’t the training ground exclusive for staff, but rather the very same training ground she’d spent thousands of hours in when she was here all those years ago.

As the great doors creaked open, a wave of nostalgia washed over Serena. She felt a smile form on her face. She’d heard the creak of this door a thousand times, and now she was hearing it again. Stepping through, the first thing Serena noticed was the light snow falling. It wasn’t quite cold enough to settle on the sandy floor, but it gave the open-topped area an odd silence.

The second thing she noticed was that she wasn’t alone. Not more than a dozen meters away stood a woman practising vertical strikes. The demon was a fellow instructor, judging by her clothes and yellow belt. Yet, it wasn’t her uniform that caught Serena’s eyes. It was the woman’s ethereal beauty; a pair of perfectly symmetrical horns sprung from a bed of fiery auburn hair. Her features were sharp and despite being engrossed in her training with sweat on her face, the woman gave off an aura of femininity. Yellow aura danced across her skin, deflecting the falling flakes of snow. Her swordsmanship was unfamiliar to Serena, but even so, it could be considered flawless. When the demon stopped moving, her position was picturesque, as if she was posing for a painting worthy of being hung in the finest halls of Cascadian nobility.

The woman didn’t react to Serena’s presence, appearing fully engrossed in her training. Serena wanted to stare, to stand there and watch the unbelievable talent of this woman. However, that would be rude. Serena forced herself to turn her attention away and sought a training sword. With the weapon in hand, she found herself a section of the sandy floor and began her pre-training warm-up.

Serena started with red aura and simple strikes, slashing vertically and horizontally while she got used to the weight of the wooden sword. Then, she began practising her parries. Slowly at first, before pushing herself into orange aura and increasing the ferocity of her movements. Elegant swordplay was always a treat to witness, but after her time as a squad commander, Serena quickly understood that it was raw, unyielding violence that won fights. She’d once seen a fellow commander, wreathed in orange aura, overwhelmed by a republican officer with only red. The commander had all the technical skills from his time at the academy, but the battlefield was a harsh mistress, and experience made all the difference.

Running her previous fights through her mind, Serena lost track of time as she practised. She fell into a warrior’s flow, the state of mind where she could truly focus on the task at hand. The background melted away and Serena became aware of only her body and her sword. She began moving as one, with every move working alongside her breathing and heartbeat.

That was until a strangely accented voice pierced through her concentration.

“Your lead foot is moving,” said the voice.

Serena blinked, feeling the flow of her practice evaporate. Turning her head, she saw the mysterious woman watching her. Two purple eyes shone brilliantly, full of clarity and determination. The demon pointed towards Serena’s front foot. “You move it. Before you attack. Shall I demonstrate?”

The woman’s purple eyes and accented Imperial told Serena all she needed to know regarding her origins. Still, she wanted to verify it. If this woman was who Serena thought she was, then seeing her skills up close would be enough. “Demonstrate?” Serena asked.

“Yes,” the northern woman said with a quick nod. She approached Serena until she was only a few meters away. Something about the woman put Serena on guard. Something about her triggered Serena’s instincts. The woman took an unusual stance, raising her sword high and slightly compressing her posture. It was a strange stance, unlike anything found in Serena’s arsenal. “Duel?” asked the woman. “You use Shimokan; I use the Hawk, yes?”

The woman didn’t seem to care for any pre-spar rituals, but Serena gave her a quick traditional bow anyway.

She’d barely made her stance when the woman attacked. Quickly, Serena forced herself into yellow aura, barely keeping her guard from collapsing as the woman’s strike connected. Such strength! Her opponent wasted no time in flowing into another attack, bringing her sword against Serena’s defenses half a dozen times in under a second. On the sixth attack, Serena twisted her sword, parrying the incoming blade. The woman leapt back and Serena didn’t waste the opportunity to take control of the duel.

“There!” the woman suddenly called out, pointing towards Serena’s feet when she began to close distance. Serena bore forward, swinging her sword, but the woman had already begun dodging, quickly escaping Serena’s attack. Instead of chasing further, Serena reset her stance. Just in time as the woman resumed yet another assault that Serena frantically defended against. 

The woman’s sword was elegant yet ferocious. The fact she maintained such control while bearing down upon Serena with the aggressive northern style, empowered by yellow aura, meant she was much further ahead than Serena when it came to raw skill. 

As a warrior progressed through the auras each strike, each movement, contained far more power than before. Such power meant fine control became difficult, and mistakes slipped through that the warrior wouldn’t make in the lower auras. As her opponent pointed out, Serena’s front foot shifted slightly before stepping forward. It was a tell that only happened when she was above red aura, but it was something that she needed to fix. At the speed and violence of an aura-powered fight, a small tell like that could mean death.

“Do you understand?” the northern demon said suddenly, stopping the duel and sheathing the wooden sword in her belt. Serena nodded, holding the gaze of the woman’s brilliant purple eyes for a moment too long before sheathing her own sword.

“Katalin of Driss, I presume?”

“Yes,” Katalin nodded solemnly.

“An honour to cross swords with you, Highlord Driss,” Serena said. Katalin of Driss was a Highlord in her own right, unlike Serena’s mother, who only held the title of Highlady due to her marriage to her father. Serena suspected Katalin wasn’t one to pick horns over Cascadian etiquette, and such thoughts were quickly validated.

“Instructor Driss, if you please.” Katalin tiled her head, looking into the distance as if she was choosing her following words carefully. “Instructor Halen?” Seeing Serena nod, Katalin continued, “The one with the human mage? The healer?”

“Assistant Instructor Thornheart, yes,” Serena clarified. The senior instructors she and Amelia encountered last night demonstrated an appropriate amount of respect. Whether their polite speech and gestures of etiquette were veiling a deeper level of resentment, only time would tell. It would most likely be the students, full of passion and zeal, who would be unable to control their bias and cause a scene.

Also, Driss was a northern city, close enough to be at risk of raiding by Republican ships. Their cityguard had been mobilised in the early stages of the war as the fanatics assaulted the Northern Terra Firma. The North continued to supply a disproportionate amount of manpower compared to the Centralis Basin and elsewhere. This proximity to the war meant it was likely Katalin of Driss was far more wary, and perhaps even suspicious, of Amelia than most.

“What’s she like, this human? She’s learning the sword, no?” Katalin’s grip on her sheathed sword tightened ever so slightly.

Really, she’s just an adorable idiot, Serena wanted to protest.

“She’s…” Serena trailed off, typing to think how she should answer. This was Katalin of Driss, the famous swordmaster who thought of nothing but a blade and likely had less than a favourable opinion of humans. “Amelia isn’t a soldier. She’s motivated by the satisfaction of developing a new skill. She does not have the heart of a warrior.” So don’t ask her for a duel, Serena mentally added.

“Amelia? You two are close, then?” Katalin's eyes narrowed, her lips curving up slightly. It wasn’t a mocking smile, but it carried a flair of disapproval. “Strange… for a demon to be friends with a human Speaker. In Driss, we would call you a traitor for such a thing, Instructor Halen.”

“I-” Serena began her protest, cursing at herself for causally slipping in Amelia’s first name.

“But we are not in the North, are we?” Katalin intoned. “Things are different here, yes?” She waved her hand dismissively, not waiting for an answer. “Enough about the human. What about you? You have reached blue aura, yes?”

Serena nodded, glad to have moved on from the subject of Amelia. “You can tell, or has someone told you?” she asked.

“Experience,” Katalin said plainly. “You are strong. Have you thought about communing another Word?”

Serena had thought about such a thing, mainly as idle fantasies of her post-military career. Communing a Word required - amongst many things - an enormous amount of time. Time dedicated to training. Serena’s previous tenure as a squad commander had been enough to allow her to Speak Narean for the first time. But Narean was a demonic martial god who favoured honour and skill with the blade. Serena had long set her sights on Narean as her target and she was, in a sense, lucky that the ferocious front-line battles she’d fought were enough to push her over the boundary.

But now, whether she was in the heat of battle or a ship’s captain, her duties did not allow her to spend the time required to build the foundation and understanding of another god’s will to commune with them. A Word was a multi-year journey and for many a decadal one. It was not uncommon for a significant chunk of a person’s life to be spent seeking communion only to ultimately realise they had chosen the wrong god and wasted their effort.

It was part of the reason why both Korvus and she were considered prodigies. The younger a person was, the less they knew themselves and the more difficult it was to commune. Serena, through the loss of her brother and her natural inclination towards pragmatism, developed a focused determination towards training that resonated with Narean and allowed the communion to form at a faster pace than usual.

Now? Serena wasn’t sure if her mind was in the right place to begin building the foundations for a second communion. A particular bundle of smug energy had occupied a very large part of her life. Although she did not regret it for a moment, the presence of Amelia was causing changes in Serena’s personality and beliefs. As such, she would be in a poor position to seek another Word until she had a firm understanding of herself once again.

Serena shook her head. “I have considered it, but upon reflection, I have decided now is not the time.” Katalin simply nodded as if this was the response she was expecting.

“Because of the human, yes? Your mind has lost its focus.”

“Your perception is admirable,” Serena said, avoiding answering the question directly with a compliment. Katalin of Driss was a dual-Speaker and if the rumours were to be believed, she was on the verge of a third First Word. Her perception, boosted through two communions, no doubt exceeded Serena’s. “I also fear I simply don’t have the time, given my military duties.”

“Understood,” Katalin said. A moment of silence passed before she opened her mouth and said, “If you did, what Word would you aim for?”

“I…” Serena hesitated. Bayle was out of the question. The relentless brutality the unarmed marital god offered did resonate with some of Serena’s personality, but the god was well known to be at odds with Narean. Such a pairing would be doomed before it began.

There was also Salinas, the demon god of earth. Before Serena found her true talent with the sword, she’d thought she might make quite the capable earth mage. While she only reached the first circle herself, that was good, considering she was training her martial arts simultaneously. Unfortunately, she was locked in with the martial gods - cross-communing disciplines was inefficient due to how the body adapted to how the mage or warrior used aether. Something that Amelia was struggling with herself despite her ridiculous talent.

This meant that the mage Word of Igni, the demon god of hellfire who rewarded passion, was out of the question. It also meant that Taranis, the demon god of storms, wasn’t viable. Taranis was particularly powerful, and Serena still remembered the crackling energy of Lei Gong, the Greatlord of Kenhoro, who’d almost placed Amelia under house arrest if it weren’t for the interference of the Overlord.

It would have to be another martial god. Of which two were the most likely. First was Taruna, the divine sister of Taranis. Taruna was the demon god of protection, and those who communed with her were called Paladins. Serena remembered her fight against the mace-wielding paladin in the Kenhoro cafe. That woman was potentially associated with the darkblades, perhaps a wandering mercenary and Speaker-for-hire. Still, the unethical nature of that woman meant little to the gods. Taruna only cared if you possessed an unwavering determination to protect and defend something. What that something was mattered little.

The second was Longinus, the demon god of the spear. Longinus was the closest thing the demons had to a branch of divinity. It was the Word Greatlord Oshiro first communed and it was a requirement to be eligible to join the Empress’s famed Lord Guardians. Longinus respected faith, especially that of the Christian kind. Serena found Christianity and the Holy Demon Bible, which documented the life of the human-then-demon Christ, along with his holy heritage that was inherited by the Empress, to be the better faith for her, allowing her to worship the Empress more earnestly.

What aligned more with her personality? Did she prioritise defending Cascadia, acting as a bulwark against the dark forces that sought to destroy it? Or did she prefer to bring holy retribution to its enemies, with unquestionable loyalty and faith to Christ and his spiritual successor, the Empress Elana of Demonkind?

Serena sighed before communicating her two options and her reservations to Katalin.

“It is… a personal journey,” Katalin said after consideration. “If I may, Taruna would fit you better than Longinus, yes? The latter is far more challenging and requires…” Katalin mimicked a set of scales with her hands. “...A particular mindset. Pure devotion and loyalty. This is not an insult to you, Instructor Halen. I only mean to say the Lord Guardians have a certain fanaticism about them that was, with few exceptions, built up from childhood.”

“There are those who Speak Longinus who are not Lord Guardians,” Serena pointed out. “Greatlord Oshiro, for example.”

“Yes,” Katalin nodded. “But not the best fit. Greatlord Oshiro’s devotion was not, and is not, Christian. As a result, Longinus took him far longer than it should have. It was only his love of the spear that caused him to push through.” A bitter smile formed on Katalin's face. “He was lucky Izanami favoured his skill, allowing his communion of a Second Word.”

Serena couldn’t help but frown at Katalin's words. Even if they were alone, the northern demon’s manner of speaking regarding the Greatlord was impolite at best. Some would consider her criticisms insulting. Serena bristled, keeping her voice controlled she asked, “You speak casually, Instructor Driss. As talented as you may be, do you think it wise to make such statements regarding the Greatlord? You act as if you know him better than he does himself.”

Katalin did not appear to take any offense at Serena’s statements. Instead, she only maintained her smile and said, “Do you know how I came to be a Highlord, Instructor Halen?” Katalin held Serena’s gaze. Through those purple eyes, Serena could barely sense how far beyond her own skills Katalin was. Had the northern demon truly only communed two First Words? She felt more like a Greatlord than a Highlord. It would not be unusual for a communion to remain a family secret.

“I do not,” Serena said plainly.

“Of course…” Katalin said. “Much of it has to do with my own skill with the sword. I admit my motivations are selfish; I seek to develop my sword above all else, understand? The main reason I came here was to experience Shimokan. Yet, there is another. You see, I understand people I fight, yes? Whenever my blade clashes with another, I gain insight into that person's nature. It’s a skill I’ve possessed as long as I’ve held a sword. If I hadn’t had myself checked by the demon Church, I would have thought it a blessing.

“What made me Highlord was my ability to guide promising talents onto the best pathway for them. I’ve volunteered this service only in the North until now, and there are more than a dozen Speakers on the front lines who have had their communion accelerated by my guidance. I am good at what I do, Instructor Halen. My family keeps tabs on promising Speaker’s Empire-wide and your name has come up more than once. Understand? Although you are not the primary reason I left the icy north, you were a motivation. So, accept my efforts and take my words to heart. Taruna is the Word for you, yes?”

Serena stood still for a moment, and she felt a slight warming of her cheeks as pride surged from within. She may not have been the whole reason, but to think that the elusive Katalin of Driss sought her out! Regardless of anything else, it was, at the very least, a validation of her hard work so far. Serena promptly bowed.

“It’s an honour to receive your advice, Highlord. I will take it seriously.” Serena rose. “I take it this won’t be the last time we cross swords? I was informed you intend to teach an Instructor’s class?”

“That is correct. You’re not the only Instructor here who needs guidance. I-” Katalin was cut off as the ringing of bells sounded throughout the academy. “Ah,” the northerner said once they subsided. “Now, the eager students will wake up. I will return to my other duties. I believe the Grandmaster has requested you and Assistant Instructor Thornheart’s presence, yes?”

Serena jumped, realising she was likely late. It wouldn’t do well for her first - or rather, second - impression as an instructor to be that of being late to a meeting. Thanking Katalin again, Serena returned her training sword and left the hall. As she made her way to the Grandmaster's office, tracing a route she remembered from years ago, she started to pass students and instructors who’d woken for early training or studying. The students gave her a look, noticing that she was a new instructor. A few recognised her, elbowing their friends and whispering about the Hellfire Captain. Serena ignored them and soon left them behind, navigating into the deeper corridors of the academy. 

Turning a corner, she arrived at her destination, where she found Amelia yawning, leaning against the wall next to the office door. A student stood next to her that looked oddly familiar, but Serena couldn’t place where she’d seen them from.

“Hello!” Amelia waved. The student beside her jumped when she saw Serena but quickly looked down. “I thought we’d have time for breakfast,” Amelia continued. “I hope the Grandmaster’s going to be quick!”

“Good morning,” Serena intoned, stopping before the two women. “Who are you?” she asked the student directly.

“Umm…” the girl mumbled.

“This is Mel!” Amelia chirped. “Remember? Back in Kenhoro, when we fought a duel, and her brother tried to kill me?” Amelia grinned happily when she said this but Serena did not miss the subtle groan coming out from Mel. Even if it weren’t her own actions, having someone in their family who lost their temper and tried to - unknowingly or not - cut down a Speaker would weigh heavily on whatever family Mel hailed from.

“I remember,” Serena answered. “Why is she here?”

“She, well…” Amelia raised a finger to her chin before turning to Mel with a smile. “Mel, could you run along to breakfast ahead of us? Save us a seat, would you?”

“I… I think Assistant Instructors and Instructors have their own tables, Assistant Instructor Thornheart,” Mel mumbled.

“Oh?” Amelia blinked. “Well, come find me at lunchtime then! I’ll need someone to give me a tour of the academy. You can do that for me, right?”

Mel nodded, and with a quick bow to them, she hurried away and out of sight. Once she was gone, Serena raised a questioning eyebrow towards Amelia, who leaned in and said hushedly, “Turns out I get an assistant of my own! Isn’t that cool? None of the second-year students wanted to risk volunteering for the job. Even though I am a wonderful Speaker…” Amelia jabbed a thumb at herself. “They feared associating with a human would do more harm than good for their careers and families. From what Mel told me, at some point, the Grandmaster here spoke to Grandpa Gu, and Mel’s name popped up!

“After being healed, her personality and attitude did a complete flip. She turned away from her former friends and was getting bullied herself. Since she’d met me and had already been warned about keeping my abilities a secret directly by Grandpa Gu, she was offered to transfer down here. But get this! They still didn’t tell her she would be my assistant, only that she would be assisting a Speaker! Why would that be, hmm?”

Serena soaked in the information. “When was Mel offered this opportunity?” she asked. Upon hearing Amelia’s answer, her eyes grew wide. “That means all of this,” Serena said, waving a hand. “Chesterfields plan, everything… It was all in the works while we were in Kenhoro. Seven hells, how fast was Intelligence working? That’s why Mel wasn’t told. Everything was kept as secret as possible until it was confirmed. Wait…” Serena felt her forehead furrow as a tinge of annoyance rose within her. “This means Aiden knew about this. He wasn’t just there to report on your personality, but he was scouting you out for Chesterfield’s ‘offer’. He was there when Mel was healed, right? It might have been him to put her name forward in the first place!” 

Aiden Adachi was due to arrive shortly before the end of the semester. It was a shame he wasn’t here right now, for Serena would love to strangle him for some answers. For now, she’d have to do with squeezing her fists until the knuckles whitened. “When you next see him,” Serena instructed Amelia, “Put him in the ground again. We’ll make him squeal until he spills everything.”

“Mmm!” Amelia nodded enthusiastically, grinning wildly. “I can’t wait!”

For a few minutes, they discussed their respective lodgings. Serena didn’t know why, but magic associations seemed to like building their research facilities as enormous towers. Amelia was on a higher floor, which, if Serena remembered correctly, was a sign of status and respect. Amelia hadn’t yet met Instructor Inoue but was supposed to meet with her after breakfast privately.

“Remember what Chesterfield said regarding Words,” Serena whispered. Just before leaving Shimashina, Chesterfield all but outright said that Centralis was aware that Amelia was capable of Speaking demonic Words. The man from Intelligence had implied very strongly that if Amelia Spoke one or even two demonic First Words, it would assist the Cascadian Government with the political manoeuvring they’d begun to do regarding the human mage on the international stage. Serena couldn’t begin to guess at the breadth and depth of Cascadia’s plans, but one thing was obvious: if Amelia were known to be a demonic Speaker, it would make it all but impossible for Christdom to claim she was a lost or kidnapped saint.

Seeing Amelia nod, Serena added, “Also, I just met Katalin of Driss; she’s as impressive as the rumours say. She didn’t seem that interested in you, but you’ll likely meet her sooner rather than later. She-” Serena was cut off as the door next to them slammed open, revealing a red-faced and growling Grandmaster.

“Damn it!” the grandmaster snapped. “Are you going to stand outside my office and natter all day!? I’ve been waiting, damn you! Get in!”

Amelia squeaked at the sudden outburst, of which Serena only managed to stop herself laughing by biting her tongue and hiding her face by performing a deep bow. Not wasting any more time, they both darted into the Grandmaster's office, where he spent more than a few minutes dressing them both down.

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