The Legendary Warrior (Book 5) (4 page)

“Welcome home,” Kent chuckled. He grunted as he jumped up to his feet, shaking the floor in the process. He let his muscles deflate a little.

“I was looking forward to a nice bed to sleep in,” Bastion laughed, scratching his head.

“There’s still one set of beds left,” Daisy replied, patting two fingers on the back of her head, searching for blood.

“That still leaves one of us without sleep.”

“Well, since one of us actually uses this room every night…” she trailed off, and then she winked at him. Bastion laughed and grabbed a desk chair to sit in.

“I missed you guys,” he said, leaning forward in it. Daisy sat down on the floor with her legs crossed and Kent leaned up against a wall with his arms folded.

“Was it another scouting mission?”

“No,” Bastion said, folding his hands.

“Then what was it?”
Kent asked, walking over to the three lanterns on each side wall and lighting them with a snap of his fingers once he was close. Bastion raised an eyebrow.

“Since when could you do that?”

“It’s no different than you Sages taking out your eidolon. This is just a small release.”

“So you could release an eidolon now if you wanted to?”

“I could, but why would I?”

“You’re not curious to see what it looks like?”

“Apparently you are. Why are you trying to change the subject? What was your mission tonight?”

“Oh,” Bastion said, closing his eyes. “That.”

“Don’t be so dramatic,” Daisy said, her voice wavering. “You probably had to clear out a rat nest or two, am I right?”

“I wish,” Bastion said. “But no. Not a rat nest. It was an assassination mission.”

“What?” Daisy sat up to attention, and Kent walked back to the wall he had been leaning against. Both gave Bastion their full attention.

“
Me and James were sent by Lakrymos to take out Hakin.”

“The leader of the Quietus?” Daisy whispered, putting a hand to her mouth. “What happened? Did you…did…
”

“I did,” Bastion replied, keeping his gaze off of his friends.

“And how do you feel about it?” Kent said, with no emotion in his voice whatsoever.

“That’s what scares me most,” Bastion said, looking to his friend. “I don’t feel a thing. It’s like…it’s like
Hakin is still alive out there. It’s a haze.”

“Do you feel any different?” Daisy asked.

“He didn’t massacre an entire people,” Kent said to her, and she snapped her head back in shock. “It was just one man.”

“What does that mean?” Daisy snapped, but Kent sighed and shook his head.

“You wouldn’t understand, Daisy.”

“Like hell I wouldn’t! What are you trying to say?! That I can’t be there for Bastion just because I haven’t killed anyone! What is it? You two got your own club now?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Kent winced. “Maybe we should talk about it later.”

“Or not at all,” Daisy spat, jumping to her feet, and heading toward the entrance. She didn’t turn around as she continued talking. “You two go celebrate or whatever it is you do when you take a life. I’ll be off training.”

“Daisy, don’t do this,” Kent pleaded, but she slammed the door behind her. Kent sighed and turned back to Bastion. “I shouldn’t have gotten on her like that.”

“I don’t understand,” Bastion scoffed. “What was that all about?”

“You don’t know Daisy like I do. She’s come a long way, but she has a lot of history with death. More than any of us. Not that she’s ever taken a life herself, but it’s surrounded her ever since she was a child.”

“I know the feeling.”

“Death affects people differently. For some, it’s final. Although there may be a Paradise and Oblivion—who knows if such a thing exists—many people don’t consider seeing their loved ones again when they pass. It’s a horrible feeling to think that the people you laughed with are now gone.”

“Do your people believe in Paradise?” Bastion asked, and Kent gave him a curt smile.

“Nah,” he said. “We Langorans pretty much live in the moment. If there is a Paradise, then we’ll get there when we get there. There’s too much to do while we’re in the presence of the living.”

“And what do you think about those that take the life of others?”

“It depends. Did you want to do it? Kill Hakin?”

“A little,” Bastion admitted. “I know that I would have to do it at some point. Why not now?”

“Wait. So you didn’t
have
to kill Hakin? James could have?”

“I don’t think he was going to.”

“But you don’t know for sure?”

“He was acting like he was leaving.”

“Even if he had, what was the harm? James would have been punished. Not you. At the most, you would have been sent back out into the woods to take Hakin down. Why didn’t you wait to see how it all played out?”

“I—I don’t know,” Bastion said.
What was Kent really saying?

“You have to watch out for that then,” Kent said, nodding his head.

“What are you talking about?” Bastion said. The tone of Kent’s voice was beginning to irritate him.

“Your bloodlust. You could have let James handle the mission but you took it
upon yourself. That’s not good. You should only take someone’s life if you have to. You should never
want
to.”

“What does it matter? Like I said, I would have to do it in the future anyways.”

“With that attitude, you will. Why are you so sure that you’ll have to?”

“Because it’s my fate.”

“Now that sounds like Lakrymos talking. Why don’t you use your own brain for once?”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Bastion said calmly, rising to his feet. Kent glared down at him with his arms still crossed. “I wanted to tell you guys what happened tonight, and instead you’re getting on me for doing my job. I don’t have to listen to this.”

“No, you’re going to,” Kent said. “Because you sure won’t listen to anyone else. We’re all you got, Bastion. If you can’t even take the advice of your friends, then how are you going to take the critique of others without losing your mind? We’re here to make you stronger, and I’m telling you that you have to be careful about what philosophies you decide to adopt. The Sages are very powerful, and I admire their wisdom, but they can also be some of the most egotistical, blinded people in the world. If you truly think you’re destined to become some savior of the world as everyone seems to think you are, then you have a long way to go.”

“I don’t know what to think,” Bastion replied. “To be honest, it’s hard for me to even develop my own thoughts anymore. It’s always James, or
Lakrymos, or you or my foster parents. The Quietus. Daisy. Catherine. The list never ends, and I wish I just had a moment to
think
for once.”

“Well, tell me this then. Do you think you’re the savior of the world?”

“I don’t even know what that means. I mean, if these Yama are coming, I guess I’ll have to fight them, but Lakrymos hasn’t even started training me for their arrival, and he’s still stronger than I am so I don’t know how valuable I will be.”

“Do you want to be the savior?”

“No,” Bastion laughed. “Not at all. I think I would be happiest as a hermit, to be honest.”

“Maybe you should consider that.”

“But then what if I’m needed in the future?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you have to make a choice between one
or the other. Make that choice and commit. Otherwise, you’re a hindrance.”

“I take
it the Langorans are preparing for the Yama as well?”

“No,” Kent chuckled. “Just the Sages and the
Allayans. The only ones who are all about the doom and gloom. I tell you, you people are so focused on the end of the world all the time that you forget about everyone else living in it. Well, when you’re not being judgmental or afraid of them, that is.”

“Then why are you here at the A
cademy? If the Allayans are so horrible?”

“Because the
Allayans are still the strongest, and that’s what I strive to be. You have to learn from the best to be the best. I just don’t want to pick up any of your bad habits in the process.”

“Like following the lead of wishy-washy Sage geniuses?”

“I hope you’re not referring to yourself in that example,” Kent said with a smile. “You’ve got incredible potential. The greatest I’ve ever seen. But that doesn’t mean you’ll become what the world needs. Sometimes I wonder if the world truly will end as the Allayans claim, or if they’re fulfilling their own prophecies.”

“I wonder that myself,” Bastion said, crossing his arms. “But in the meantime, we’ve
got to prepare for the future.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Kent said, slapping a meaty hand on the young Sage’s ba
ck. “We’ve got each other. Why don’t you enjoy yourself for now and live life a little? When the time comes for Lakrymos to give you your training or the Yama are breaking down our front door, then we can run for the hills or die in a pool of our own blood. But until then, lighten up. Oh, and try not to kill anyone else. The fact that you don’t feel anything about this death…that’s not a good thing.”

“Okay,” Bastion replied. “I guess I’ve seen so much death in my life that I’ve become desensitized to it.”

“That’s one thing we should never get used to, brother,” Kent said. “Now go find Daisy and make her feel wanted. Last thing we need is to get our faces punched in while we sleep.”

Bastion had no idea where Daisy had gone off to, but he wasn’t going to give up. He had to tell her that nothing had changed between them. The boys had not formed some kind of exclusive club. If anything, he was afraid that she would one day shun him. Lakrymos hadn’t trained him physically, but he had given him a few lectures as of late, and each lesson had ended with the same forlorn saying: Being powerful is as lonely as it is gratifying.

Loneliness was not something he wanted to deal with any
more. He was sick of it. It clung to him like an immortal tick, sucking the very life out of him, and reminding him each night that he would never have the companionship he longed for. Loneliness was his only friend. His only confidant.

It wasn’t until he had met Daisy
and Kent that he realized how much he needed others in his life. And was that the reason he couldn’t leave Allay? Sure, Lakrymos was waiting in the background, ready to pounce if he ever physically did it, but he could have at least entertained the idea. He didn’t even dream of a life outside of Lakrymos’ will, and it’s only been a couple months.

That was quite sad.

“What do you want?” Daisy sniffed, catching him off guard. He had been walking around the Sage Academy aimlessly, and he had just turned a corner when he heard her voice coming from one of the training rooms. He walked inside and glanced to his right, finding her sitting up against the wall with her arms draped over her knees. She gazed up at him with a red nose and bloodshot eyes. He still found her pretty attractive, in spite of it. He laughed at the thought, and Daisy shot him a death stare, cutting his bout short. She climbed to her feet, walked over to him and poked him in the chest.

“I’m not weak,” she said, poking him again. It had no strength behind it, but he backed up all the same.

“No one said that.”

“What did you and Kent talk about while I was gone? How I’m not cut out to be a soldier?”

“He thought it was disturbing how I didn’t feel anything after killing Hakin.”

“That’s all?” she sniffed, and he scratched his hair.

“Um, well, I mean, if that isn’t a big deal…”

“Oh, it’s a HUGE deal!” she said, poking him in the chest again. “How could you not
feel?
That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I feel,” Bastion huffed. “You act like I’m a rock.”

“No, that’s your head,” she muttered, putting both her hands on her hips. “We’ve got a lot more work to do than I thought. I mean, if you can’t even feel, you’re pretty hopeless.”

“Well, I’m not going to do it again.”

“What? Kill? Don’t stop on my account. Just because I’m against it, that doesn’t mean you have to full out quit.”

“Do you even hear yourself right now? Geez, I’m doing it because I don’t want to get used to it. It’s time I start developing some of my own principles.”

“That’s not going to happen without my help,” Daisy grinned, folding her arms. “So don’t even think about becoming best friends with Kent and leaving me out the mix.”

“I would never dream of it,” he laughed. “So what do you have in mind?”

“I don’t know. What makes you happy? We’ll start there.”

“Um,” he said, looking around him. The training hall was bare except for the stone walls and a few red banners hanging off the walls. There were no words upon them so he averted his attention elsewhere. Daisy grabbed the lower half of his face and pulled it toward her.

“Pay attention! What makes you happy? We’re not going to get anywhere with you if we don’t even know what you want.”

“Well,” he blushed. “I mean…you kind of make me happy.”

She kicked him in the shin. Surprisingly, it hurt, and so he looked down at her feet, watching in shock as the lower half of a Sage robe disappeared.

“You activated your Sage powers to kick me?” he asked in astonishment. She slapped him. “Stop that!”
he cried out.

“Well, you stop being corny first.”

“I’m not being corny. I’m being truthful.”

“Quit your advances. There’s other girls out there, you know!”

“You’re the only one that I think is awesome.”

“You need to get any thoughts of us being together out of your head. It’s not healthy. You should put those feelings to rest.”

“So I’m not supposed to feel now?”

“Not when it comes to me! Goodness,” she said, pacing around hi
m. Her long hair nearly smacked him in the face. “All that power bubbling up inside of you…it makes me forget just how naïve you are.”

“I wouldn’t be so naïve if I had some experience.”

Daisy suddenly grabbed the lower half of his face again, and he prepared himself for another slap. He closed his eyes and flinched, but then he felt something warm press up against his lips. It was a strange feeling, but it made his body feel tingly and his heart began to race. He opened his eyes, and Daisy quickly closed them with the palm of her hand, but he was still able to get a quick glimpse. She was kissing him.

She was kissing him!

He reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and her lips pressed harder against his, nearly toppling him over and off his feet. But he wasn’t going to lose his balance now. He held his ground.

But just as he was beginning to explore her with his lips and his hands, she pushed him away, transforming into a full Sage to ensure she had the strength to do so.
Bastion fell to his butt and stared up at her in surprise. Her Sage robe disappeared, and she held out a hand to help him up. He eyed it warily.

“Uh, I’m not sure,” he said, staring at it like it was an exotic insect. “I’m getting a lot of mixed signals here.”

“You felt that, right?” she asked him. He looked up at her, saw the concerned look on her face, and then grabbed her hand. She pulled him to his feet.

“Why did you kiss me?”

“Most boys wouldn’t ask why.”

“I thought you didn’t want me to pursue you.”

“For the record, you’re not pursuing anything. You’re twiddling your thumbs and muttering how you like me while I’m straining my neck trying to hear what you’re saying. That’s what happening. I hardly call that pursuing.”

“Yeah, but even if I asked you out on a date, I doubt you would say yes.”

“Not with that negative attitude.”

“Alright then. Would you go on a date with me?”

“No.”

“Okay, what are you trying to do to me,” Bastion laughed nervously. “What was that kiss back there?”

“I had to prove something to myself.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“That I’m not attracted to you. Did you feel anything just now?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that’s only because I’m your first kiss, that’s all. It means nothing. It’s always exciting the first time. That doesn’t mean you’re actually in love with me. You have a crush because I’m the first girl that’s decided to talk to you.”

“So I’ve been told,” Bastion huffed. “And I’m getting tired of it. You sure you didn’t feel anything?”

“Not a thing,” she said gently. “Sorry.”

“Ugh, why do I hang around you?” Bastion groaned, lifting his head to the ceiling.

“You never answered my question, you know.”

“What question?” Bastion asked, getting irritated by the second. Daisy was awesome to be around and all, but she sure was annoying when she got in
to one of her moods. It was like she became a puzzle master, bent on making him decipher riddles to get even a quick glimpse into her heart and mind. He lost every round, and he was no closer to understanding Daisy than he did his purpose in life.

“What makes you happy, silly,” she said.

“I don’t know what that is,” he replied. “But I know it’s with you and Kent. I do know that much.”

“You don’t want to be a god or a king?”

“Of course not,” he scoffed.

“Then stop acting like you’re going to be one. Be Bastion. That’s it. Forget all the rest.”

“Right,” he said, staring into her eyes. How did his friends know so much? Was this what it was like to grow up in a normal family? To have a normal life? Whenever he thought of his childhood, all he remembered was Quietus…which brought his thoughts back to Hakin, and how he had—

“Ugh,” Bastion muttered, falling down to one knee. Daisy rushed to his side in a hurry.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, feeling his stomach churn. It was like he was going to throw up
, but he didn’t know why. Was it because he thought of Hakin? Was that—

He threw up, and Daisy rubbed his back as he continued on. The sound of footsteps behind them
suddenly demanded their attention, and they both forgot about his bout of nausea once they saw who it was. They stood up straight, and Bastion felt his knees quiver.

Lakrymos
looked down on them like he had just kicked their sand castle, and he was daring them to build another. Although he was a lanky, gaunt looking man, he was covered by a humongous kingly robe, fitted with various jewels and furs. The crown of Catherine’s father rested on the top of his head.

“You were supposed to report to me before returning to the barracks,” the old Sage said. His voice was loud and authoritative, yet it cast no echo upon the room. Daisy bowed before his presence and he snickered.

“Why do you bow to me, my young Sage?” he asked her. “On the battlefield, our blood will spill the same, and it runs through our veins even now in similar fashion. I am but another soldier while in the halls of this fortress.”

“My apologies,” Daisy replied, her throat going dry. “Perhaps I should be going.”

“That would be appropriate. And be kind enough to close the doors behind you. I must speak with Bastion now. Unless…I am interrupting something.”

“No, no,” she replied, beginning to bow again. She stopped herself
, and then she sprinted past him and out the room, making sure to shut the large oak doors in her departure. Bastion took a sigh and clutched his abdomen. He could still feel something bubbling within. Lakrymos studied him meticulously, and then he reached behind him, and unsnapped the kingly robe that was draped over his shoulders. It fell off of him and onto the floor, nearly hitting the vomit Bastion had expelled. The young Sage winced, thinking of what would happen if it had. Lakrymos’ steel armor shone brightly off of the lit lanterns on the side walls, and Bastion had to lower his eyes in order to see.

“We are talking, Bastion. Cease your apprehension.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You will be the God of Gods. It is unbefitting of you to behave so childish.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now…tell me of the mission. Was it completed? I assume that it was, based on the cries of the Quietus keeping the
Terrs awake and restless. A villager was actually killed fifteen minutes ago by one of the agitated animals.”

“It was done,” he said, breathing heavily.
Lakrymos squinted his eyes.

“Not feeling well?”

“I’m not,” Bastion said. “It’s strange. I don’t know what caused it.”

“Tell me more about the
murder
of Hakin. How did James perform the deed this time?”

“He didn’t go through with it,” Bastion swallowed. His throat was parched. “I did it.”

“I am proud of you,” Lakrymos said, with a glint of adoration in his eye. “You have made the first step toward you destiny. This is truly a night to remember.”

“I’m not sure if I want to remember it.”

“But you
must
,” he said. “You took the man’s life. You have single-handedly determined his fate in the afterlife.”

“What?” Bastion asked in exasperation. “What does this have to do with the afterlife?”

“When we die,” he said, pacing around the young Sage, “in the moment of our death, it is determined whether we are to go to Paradise or Oblivion. As the sovereign of this world, we have the burden and privilege of deciding when one will undertake this judgment. We are not ending their life on this planet. We are forcing them to start their life in the next. We must remember this when we have mercy on some, and when we bring the hammer of destruction upon others. When the Yama come, for example, we must send them to the afterlife as quickly as possible.”

“But you escaped the afterlife. You’re not supposed to be here.”

“You’re mistaken. I
am
supposed to be here. Fate and destiny has decided that I am to bring Allay to victory against the Yama. Just as it determined that you would be born with unfathomable potential. We cannot escape our path. It is set for us. The more we fight against it, the more the people around us will suffer and die. Tell me something, Bastion. Did you feel remorse for Hakin’s death?”

“Not at first. But when I thought about it a little while ago, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by what happened. Images of what his face looked like when I made the killing stroke…the screams of his people. The cries of the children. It’s like my senses were being bombarded.”