Chapter 10: Caden

　　The duel was short-lived. Caden had gone on the offensive but didn`t land a single attack. After that, in a matter of moments, he was pinned to the floor in the middle of the training room. Vance disarmed and restrained him in a single move. He thrashed against the Elite Captain but to no avail. After spitting sand from his mouth, he struggled to get up.

　　"The duel is over, Arkell," said Vance, holding him down. "You lose. And you will continue to lose forever."

　　A crowd of now sneering knights surrounded the glass chamber they fought in.

　　"Get `em, kid!"

　　"Show `em whose boss!"

　　"C`mon, get up already!"

　　They had taunted him throughout the entire fight. They acted as if he was some bratty child who needed discipline. He was a hero. He was trying to do what he`d been taught all that time ago: kill the bad guys. Caden cursed, struggling against his weight. If only they knew what he did.

　　"You won`t ever beat me unless you learn Pyromancy," Vance said.

　　The Elite had shouted pointers during the duel.

　　"Extract Heat from your flame and use it to attack. Exert your momentum forward and outward; be sure to channel your energy."

　　He said many more things, but Caden couldn`t bother to listen. He was too busy paying attention to Vance`s defense patterns.

　　A moment passed, and Vance got up and off him. All the knights went silent. Caden spun, kicking himself up to his feet. His sword was halfway across the chamber, but he noticed Vance saluting before he could get it. Who could he possibly be -

　　"Well, what seems to be happening here, huh?"

　　Caden spun. Crusader Darian stood outside the chamber. He was in full silver armor with a black scarf around his neck. He glowed a dim blue as he moved. He opened the door and entered. Everyone in the barracks stood at attention in salute. Vance looked desperate and nervous. He`d never seen any Elite look like that before.

　　"Just some discipline, sir," said Vance.

　　"Discipline in the form of a duel? Your squire challenged you?"

　　"Knight," said Caden.

　　Vance gave him a look that said: Shut up, or you`re dead.

　　"Even so, you know that is uncalled for."

　　"Right, well sir, I was -"

　　"Enough," Darian said. "All of you," he shouted. "Leave us!"

　　Everyone scrambled from the room, Vance included. He closed the glass door behind him, and the onlookers vanished. The training room hadn`t been fixed yet.

　　"So, you Kindled?"

　　"Yes, sir."

　　"Good," said Darian, "Is the Order treating you well?"

　　"No, sir."

　　Caden felt awkward. Darian was someone he knew from his childhood, but here, he had so much authority, even over Vance.

　　"That look in your eye, still the look of a hero. You take my advice?"

　　"Yes. I found the one who killed her, sir."

　　He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

　　"It was Elite Vance, sir."

　　"You`re sure of this?"

　　"Yes."

　　"And how do you know?"

　　Caden was stunned. He opened his mouth to lie but couldn`t come up with something fast enough.

　　"Ah, secrets, huh? Well, find me some kind of evidence, and we`ll lock him up."

　　He shook his head. "I`d like a duel. If possible. To determine his fate."

　　Darian threw his head back and laughed. "You are too weak to kill Vance. You barely know Pyromancy. On top of that, it`s forbidden to challenge him unless you are of equal rank, so you`d better become an Elite if you really want that. If I catch you trying to duel with him again, I`ll remove you from the Order." He took a step closer. "I don`t care whose kid you are. Don`t mock us like that."

　　Caden swallowed harshly. "Yes. Sir."

　　"But if you want power. I can help ya there." He pulled a bag off his back and dumped a pile of wood in the center of the room. "I planned to help this other Pyromancer today, but I can help you too."

　　"What are you doing?" he asked.

　　Darian snapped his fingers. He lit the pile of wood with Pyromancy. It burst into flames and sent embers flying. The flame quickly grew to an enormous size.

　　"Absorb the flame from this fire!" Darian shouted over the crackle of the large bonfire in the center of the room. "Quickly now! We don`t want the whole building to come down!"

　　The Heat was intense, and sweat beat down Caden`s forehead. He reached out with his hand and attempted to pull at his Defiant Flame. The physical sensation jumped around to different areas in his body. Still, he was unable to tell it to do anything.

　　Work, damnit! he demanded.

　　How dare you command a Shard of Sin? It spoke once more.

　　"Move it to your hand! Then, make the Heat reach out and grab the flame. Sometimes, closing your palm at first helps! Come on now!"

　　The fire grew in size.

　　Caden backed up. He reached out with his hand, pushing his Defiant Flame to his palm. He closed it tightly.

　　The fire grew in size.

　　He swallowed, covering his mouth as he began to breathe in smoke.

　　The fire grew in size.

　　It engulfed the room; all he could see was an orange blaze. Caden shut his eyes.

　　The fire grew in size.

　　He was burning. Panic set it. He screamed. His Defiant Flame moved to the palm of his hand, and he instinctively snapped his fingers.

　　The fire vanished completely.

　　His Defiant Flame was now enormous. As full as it had ever been. The physical sensation of it felt incredible. Adrenaline ripped through him, and he found himself ecstatic.

　　"That was incredible! By the Crown, I thought I was dead for sure, but then, poof! I absorbed the flame." He bounced up and down like a child.

　　"You sure did, kid. Good job. Now then, we`re going to learn something else."

　　Caden nodded, composing himself and saluting the Crusader.

　　"Punch me in the face."The author`s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

　　Caden`s jaw dropped.

　　"Come on, right in the face, don`t be shy," Darian said. He leaned over and poked his cheek.

　　"Uhm, sir, that is quite. . . You are a good person. I would not want to hurt you."

　　"Trust me, kid," said Darian, "you won`t hurt me. And I promise to not be mad. Just push the Heat into your punches, and you`ll see incredible results."

　　Caden hesitated further.

　　"Punch me," Darian ordered.

　　Caden found himself punching the man. He was suddenly so full of desire to do so. He slammed his fist toward his cheek, but Darian slid out of the way quickly.

　　Over and over, Caden flew into action and threw punches at him. He tried his best to hit him but was unable to even get close to the man. Despite his heavy armor, Darian was impossible to hit.

　　He put his entire body into one last punch, and with a deep breath, smoke filled his vision for a split second, and his hand lit ablaze.

　　"Perfect!" Darian exclaimed. He caught the punch and pushed Caden backward. "That is a heat-enhanced attack. You can use it quite often for any kind of strike, even ones with your sword. It`s quite powerful. Heat doesn`t only allow you to shoot flames, but it enhances strength and speed. You can even use it to get around. Blast flames from the floor, and you can fly skyward." Darian was very animated as he spoke, moving in ways Caden thought to be impossible in his heavy armor.

　　"I`m sorry for trying to hit you, sir. I just. . . wanted to - I mean, like I felt the need to - I mean, oh, by the Crown, I`m sorry."

　　"I told you it was fine, kid. I`m not mad. I won`t tell your father." He winked, then opened the glass door. "See you soon." He turned back. "Oh, and if you want to have the power to kill Vance, the Elite rank won`t be enough. You`ll need to study not only the combative side of Pyromancy but also the history and knowledge of the magic. Go to the library, check out a nice book." He smiled, then left, walking through the barracks and back toward the palace.

　　Caden found himself stunned, lost for words, and incredibly excited. Not only did he use flaming Pyromancy, but he also had a Crusader teach him his first spell. He would learn everything he could about the magic and then be promoted to an Elite - and finally send Vance to hell.

　　* * *

　　Later that day, he found himself unusually happy as he walked toward the palace library. Not only would he get strong enough to defeat Vance, but he recalled that Luna made his Heat infinite. This gave him an edge that even an unskilled fighter could benefit from. As long as Caden didn`t get stabbed in the heart or decapitated during the duel - his Heat would constantly regenerate all wounds, and he wouldn`t die.

　　If I can convince that slag to be present for the duel . . . He thought. Knowing her, that may be impossible.

　　He entered the palace. The large castle had a grand entranceway with two staircases leading to the second floor, where many living quarters were placed. In the back of the entry was a hallway that went left - to the mess hall. To the right was the library.

　　He stopped in front of the large double doors that led to Cerise Hall. He shuddered at the fact that all four Crusaders could be in there right now. He thought it would be the scariest place in the palace, but he knew. . . the worst place was the very pinnacle. The part of the palace that rose above the blood-red clouds, the place where The Crown lived.

　　He turned right and, after a short walk, entered the library. To his surprise, it was grand, vast, and had two separate floors. Up above, some doors led to the living quarters. He`d never been here before but felt optimistic about going due to Darian`s advice.

　　There were a few scattered tables in an open library area, and he found a familiar face sitting next to a pile of books. Princess Felisha - and what looked like an apprentice or friend of some sort? The other girl she was with was obviously a Shrine Cleric. He could tell from her red robes, gloves covering her hands, and a hood over her face.

　　The Princess looked even more peculiar than the shrine cleric. She had pale white skin, lighter than even Elwin - who was still a shade of brown. Her hair was bright blonde, and she was the opposite of those who lived in Belmire. They had many skin tones, but pale white was uncommon.

　　What kind of Pyromancy book would I even find? He scanned the shelves and cursed under his breath when he realized most of the books were written in Belasy, the scholarly language. Caden only knew common, so he couldn`t even read this stuff.

　　Maybe I should have listened to Isabel when she wanted me to go to the scholarly branch for studies. . .

　　"Hard to find the right words?" Felisha`s voice spooked him. He didn`t even realize she had approached.

　　"What? Oh, uh, I uhm -"

　　"Going to spill some wine again?" Felisha asked with a smile.

　　"What! No, I was looking for-"

　　"A book on how to not spill wine?"

　　Caden grunted.

　　"I`m teasing. Let me help you find something. Maybe you`ll find someone to read it to you."

　　"I can read!" Caden complained.

　　Felisha raised an eyebrow and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Oh? Can you? My my, the squire boy can read! Isn`t that surprising, Jasmine?" She turned back to face the Shrine Cleric.

　　"Silly knights have no time for scholarly work, Your Majesty," Jasmine said.

　　Caden`s gaze grew fierce. "I . . . I can read!"

　　"What`s this say?" Felisha said, pulling a book from the shelf.

　　Caden squinted. "That`s in Belasy! That isn`t fair!"

　　"Oh, so the poor child can`t read the language of Belmire," Jasmine snickered.

　　Caden narrowed his eyes, "I know a few words! But it`s not a commonly spoken language. That`s why we have common!"

　　"In Talvira, they speak and write in common very often. Maybe you should move there," Felisha suggested.

　　Caden grunted.

　　"Oh, quit torturing the poor boy!" Jasmine said, "Here, I can help you find something if it`s alright with you, Your Majesty."

　　"By all means," Felisha said.

　　Jasmine strolled up from her seat, and Felisha went to sit back down by her stacks of books on the table. From this close, Caden noticed that Jasmine`s eyes were a striking purple.

　　"I`m looking for something on the history of Pyromancy," he said, "or some kind of overview about the magic?"

　　"I know just the book; it was dropped off earlier today. I`m sure you`ll be happy to have it."

　　"Find the squire a book on how not to spill drinks, too!" Felisha called.

　　"I`m a knight now, you know," he mumbled, crossing his arms.

　　"Oh, you are just adorable," she giggled. "I do hope we meet again."

　　Jasmine walked off and beckoned him to follow. He put his hands in his pockets and reluctantly went along, trailing behind her as she traveled through the maze of books. Finally, she reached out and picked up a book that was on its side. It looked like it had been misplaced on the shelf.

　　"We just got this one today. But I`m sure you`ll find lots of information in it." She handed it to him. "It`s called The Secrets of Pyromancy`. Sorry that it`s in Belasy, but there isn`t much we can do."

　　Caden glanced down at the book. He`ll have to find someone to read it for him or attempt to learn the language himself. He sighed. "Thank you for your help," he paused, "but what secrets could Pyromancy hold?"

　　"The magic of the body, soul, and mind."

　　Magic of the mind? Isn`t that forbidden?

　　"You mean this book has sections on all of those? Even the forbidden magic?"

　　If that`s the case. . . it`d be hard to find anybody willing to read this to me.

　　"Helios wants us to learn everything about his gifts."

　　Right, shine, clerics. Helios is the God of the Sun or something.

　　"I believe Pyromancy is a gift from our God. If we relish our gifts and pray to him, he will bestow us with power." She bowed to him awkwardly. "I believe the concept of forbidden knowledge is simply a human construct. Please stop by a shrine to learn more about the Sun."

　　Caden captured that thought for a moment. Isabel always said things about the legend of the Sun . . . but he thought nothing of it. "Thank you for the offer. Perhaps I will." He pocketed the book, nodded to Jasmine, and left.

　　The Sun, he thought. Could it truly exist. . . Isabel? He then recalled the meeting that Elena had asked him to attend. Was she a criminal? She`s working against The Crown. But Elena was a good person. He paused. What would Isabel do?

　　If Vance works for the Order and he is evil. Elena can work against them and be good. He realized then that he was wrong. The world isn`t as full of good and evil as he had thought. There is evil within the Order, and good outside of it. . . but that doesn`t change the fact that he should save the good guys and kill the bad ones. As silly as it sounds now, it still held true.

　　* * *

　　"Can any of you read Belasy?" Caden asked. The following day, he arrived at the mess hall and chose to sit with his squad.

　　"Hey Nuff, are you feeling better?"

　　He glared at Elwin, which shut him up.

　　"I can`t read it much," said Kaelea, "but I know my friend Eva can."

　　"Do you think -"

　　"I can read Belasy," Mia said softly.

　　Caden perked up, "Do you think you could teach me? Just a few words or phrases. I really need to learn."

　　She blushed, turning bright red. Did he speak too casually with her?

　　"Yes, sure, I can. When would you like to?"

　　"Whenever you`re free. After hours sometimes. Okay?"

　　She nodded.

　　Caden reached into his pocket and pulled out Elena`s paper. The date wasn`t for another week.

　　"Brilliant," he said, "Thank you." He stashed it away. He`ll have enough time.

　　He would have her teach him every day until that meeting, and he would be sure to practice his Pyromancy as well. But he had decided. . . to go to the meeting.

　　Power beyond your wildest dreams. That`s what she had promised could be given, and right now, that was what he desperately needed. Plus, she was Ms. Elena. He may not like Luna, but Elena he`d known since he was a child.

　　"Squad!" someone called.

　　Caden turned. It was Elite Kieran; she had arrived for breakfast. Elwin and Kaelea saluted but seemed notably less afraid of her. Caden nodded in respect.

　　Kieran was short but muscular and built strong. She had no gloves, like all Pyromancers, and her armor was chainmail. Her scarf was red and faded. She pulled up a chair and casually sat on it the wrong way. She smiled. "Nah, I`m just kidding. Don`t worry." She placed a plate of food on the table. "Caden, we have lessons later every day this week. You gonna show up?"

　　He nodded.

　　"Good. The rest of you, we plan to go out on patrol. Mia can come too."

　　"Really?" Elwin said, "Is that really a good idea?"

　　"Yeah, maybe she`ll Kindle too," Caden said.

　　"No, no," Kaelea snickered. She had a massive smile on her face. "Your Kindling was a fluke."

　　Mia and Kaelea burst into laughter.

　　Elwin shouted some kind of nonsense at them.

　　Caden, while amused, didn`t feel great. Elwin and Kaelea were still evil. They had treated him horribly. . .

　　The worst man Isabel knew. . . became a good man. How? Caden wondered if an evil person could become good. Or a good person to become evil. He didn`t know. Maybe he never would.

　　"I still want to see that rematch," Kieran said. "I heard Caden beat Elwin easily."

　　"Oh no no," said Kaelea. "Let me tell you how Caden won." She held back her laughter with a hand to her mouth.

　　"Flame off, Kae!"

　　They bickered back and forth some more, and Caden was sure he heard the word "fluke" multiple times.

　　Despite everything, Caden thought. Maybe, just maybe, I could eventually learn to forgive them. If Isabel was right, and a terrible person could become good. . . perhaps, one day. . . But he couldn`t know for sure because he and Isabel had disagreed many times in the past. He didn`t know if he`d ever change his mind.