Completed Rekindling

[Theo Popcampio]

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First of Winter, 515 AV

Lester hadn’t let Theo miss one day yet. Now the repurposed Theo was breaking through the drudge of the swing, and waving the sword was becoming more of an art to him each day. He swung with his mentor over-shoulder, “left, right, stab, left, down, brace to parry…” And so it went, Theo on at the will of his master.

Then the words came to a halt, and the attacks with them. “Theo, how about we give it a go?” Lester said, grabbing his mace off the ground.

“Oh, you have no idea how long I’ve waited to go live with you, Ser Vey, and I say that as a show of respect.” The two of them were donned in full plate, and, pending some awful tragedy, they could practice with steel today safely.

Lester fought a style similar to Theo, what he lacked in the reach of Theo’s sword, Lester made up for with the morningstar’s bludgeoning potential. Theo knew this, and also that Lester was a skillful reimancer, more so than Theo, and a flux wielder. Lester was a mighty man in a battle, Theo could only best him at his own best, or so he hoped.

The two donned their helmets, but left the visor up so as to see clear, as one would do once they engaged in melee combat. Encircling a patch of grass on the Antinous ground, the two nodded before coming to a still. Theo struck first wide left, and Lester parried and tried to close the distance, but Theo back peddled. Holding his sword in front of him, Theo struck out as Lester charged in and ducked the attack, and Theo dodged charging Lester as a matador would a bull.

“Is that all you got?” Theo beckoned his opponent, preparing himself for the inevitable. Lester cast a fireball out at Theo, who had prepared some rez of his own. The rez held in the air before Theo, and stood in the way of the fireball, absorbing it before being thrown back at its original owner. “Well, you gotta know I’ll see that coming by now.” There was already another small ball of rez in Theo’s hand, and he cast another fireball at his mentor.

[Theo Popcampio]

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“How you like me now?” Theo taunted.

But Lester was not to be fretted in this moment, absorbing and deflecting one ball of fire with his mace and the other he blasted away with a gust of wind he used his own rez to create. The gust followed to Theo, it was mighty enough to make him stagger just a little in his casual stance. He wiped clear his brow as he reset, it was time to take the fight to Lester.

Rez prepared in Theo’s palm as he readied his sword, and he flung it out at the warrior Lester. Lester batted the ball down with his hot mace, and met Theo as he charged, unleashing a flurry of blows. Lester, shieldless, was forced to give ground as he deflected the blows, and Theo seemed to have an armament advantage. But the mentor was not to be beaten today, and with a ball of rez he cast out a gust again that knocked Theo away, and disarmed him properly with a blow to the cold iron blade’s hilt.

Theo pulled out his favored move for an armored opponent as Lester steadily approached, wary of Theo’s magic ability. Theo’s gathered rez was great now, as he had been gathering it for a time now, and he had enough djed in the tank for a half dozen more. But Theo had more in store for Lester than just magic: Theo lit the ball aflame, and hurled it at Lester’s weakside, the maceman moved to deflect it, and as he did his apprentice kicked him, scattering off to gather his blade. Lester moved to give chase, but the fireball, which hit a loose brick behind him, gave off an ember that burned him at the hand.

“Gotcha’ afterall, huh?” Theo said, his sword now in both hands. “Don’t think I’m like the rest of these out here wannabes, I came here ready to fight, I didn’t just want to play knight.” There was something bold inside the younger now, a boldness bred from anger. Deep anger that came from the doubt others had cast on him. Lester might have known more, lived more, seen more, and killed more, all of which was up to debate, but it was a little bit of doubt of Theo in Lester that held him from making the ending blow and Theo resented that.

[Theo Popcampio]

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“You aren’t scared are you?” Lester questioned as he struck out at Theo. “You may be right squire, maybe you do know your way around a fight, but do you know enough to survive battle?” Lester laid down a great blow over the top as he bellowed his might. The morningstar was still short, however, and Theo knew Lester couldn’t generate the leverage to break the sword’s guard, and so he met the the strike. Lester, however, had channeled his flux into the blow, and Theo was buckled by the blow. He had not noticed the greater of them gesturing his hand, only in hindsight did Theo recall witnessing his mentor’s hand gestures and what they had accomplished.

Now Theo was crumbling under the weight of an enhanced attacked. He knew now the might of the flux, he would have to talk to Lester about learning it soon. Theo broke off his overhead guard and made an awkward roll out of the way, and sprang up in a defensive posture.

“I’m not all talk either, this sword,” Theo swung the cold iron so its point was ready at its foe, “it has taken life by my hand. I do not want to breed a contempt in you Lester, as these words have a habit of doing. But, as a warrior now, I demand I not be pampered as those lowly nobles seeking position with a title of honor, or those fair foreigners who come here seeking refuge; I am not going to be brought along as a misfit in redemption. I skalk at the pity you show those charlatans. You cannot teach or buy loyalty and honor, and that is why so few of these squires pull through: They do not respect you, as you do not respect yourselves.”

Theo struck at him thrice now, and Lester caught all the blows. This time Theo swept at Lester’s feet to cap it off, and Lester lost his manner for a moment as he regained his composure.

“And do you respect me Theo?” He asked as he caught three more blows with his mace. Theo held his distance and his advantage, but now Lester was retreating up higher ground. Theo hopped up on a rock so he could maintain some leverage as he struck up at the long, thick haired Lester.

“I would not take you as my tutor for any other reason. Your humility and compassion are boundless because you truly know struggle. And have these admirable qualities, but have you spent too long in this life of prodding cattle?”

Theo came now poking slightly at Lester’s armor’s weak point at the waist, in an effort to make his point the strikes were slow. Lester knew now that he was being taught and not doing the teaching, and he, being an aurist of some repute, was beginning to understand Theo’s resentment. It was then with a strong gust that the mentor expunged his pupil from the stone where he stood, sent tumbling into a cloud of dust below.

[Theo Popcampio]

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Theo rolled down the hillside, armor clattering as he came to a halt in the ditch down below. His grip paid off and Theo had kept his blade the whole roll down, the real worry was the dirt getting clumping into some intersection of the armor, but everything seemed fine. Theo was just dusting himself off as Lester came charging down and cast out a ball of fire at him. There was hardly any distance to react, but Theo somehow had managed to control the fire with a smushed rez ball he had in his hand, and he quickly cast the fire away.

The two met as strong handed Lester finally attacked Theo in a surge, left, right, one from the side, brutal blows that struck a fear in Theo. They mostly fell to air as Theo backpedaled, but the strikes he did have to parry left the cold iron resonating. Theo tried to strike back with his sword, but Lester met each strike with a renewed vigor that made the younger wary of his own guard. He was no longer in the battle as much Lester was, and now Theo was on the verge of defeat.

Once more Lester struck out at Theo. This time Theo was staggered, and Lester unleashed another gust of wind. Theo’s cold blade went flying and him along with it, both settling in their own new patch of dirt.

Lester approached young Theo like the godly figure he had just displayed. His walk demanded respect, and his prowess commanded attention. A fool would think his swagger a taunt, but his stillness resonated a keenness that only a man who had fought for his life could know.

Battle is exciting, but for all the wrong reasons. Boys fascinate over it because the men who live it never tell of it, or never tell of it well enough. Lester’s glory had been forged on the field long before Theo, but the young boy was right, he had gone soft. Whether it was the city life, or the distance from the outside, Theo was right. He looked now at Theo with humility and grace.

“Thank you, Theo, for making me a fighter again. I’ve not felt this way in years!” He said smiling, offering a hand.

“Oh, Lester. You are too kind.” Theo said, reaching his hand out to reach Lester’s. As he did this a ball of rez emerged from his closed palm and splattered against his mentor’s plate. “Truly, it gets the best of you.” Theo laughed as he took his mentor’s palm, who quickly got over his bitterness and joined in on the snickers.

[Theo Popcampio]

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Theo was studying spirits when he was summoned by Lester. Ser Garrus Juddeth had taken the time to account for the experience of possession for those interested, and had laid out three volumes of tales to help convey the severity of each stage of possession. It seemed that any ordinary ghost might be able to affect the ordinary person, but it took a special sort to wound any practitioner of spiritism. Here Ser Garrus laid out the signs: Greater clumps of soul mist, anxiety ridden possession victims, and willingness to appear before groups were three glaring examples. They reminded him of a visit he paid to the Mythrian Outpost where he met a girl named Moxie, Theo was thankful he had avoided that spirit now.

The chapter had just come to its conclusion as a page said that Lester had requested his audience. Lester waited in his own personal residence, and met Theo’s arrival with a wide smile and instructed his squire to put on some finer garments as they were to attend a banquet. It was nothing large Lester assured Theo, a small get together of some knights and their associated company.

As it turned out, Lester’s words were either facetious or humble, for he was not daft. Some three dozen knights were there with escorts. Upon arrival Theo almost pinched Lester, had it not been for the enthusiastic greetings he would have. A bearded man, stocky in build with shaggy brown hair greeted Lester at the door, treating him like an old friend, but Lester was easily half his age. Lester introduced the bearded man (Caelan, as he became known to Theo) and his pupil, who gave his best, “How do you do?”

The knight and squire had similar greeting for an undecipherable amount of time before being walked to the table. There they were sat in between two groups of Lester’s knightly companions; opposite them the seats were empty. The tranquility of meal time allotted Theo the grace to be in silence, and he took the moment to check out of that hub-bub his heart harbored no love for.

The room posessed a hue of golden-brown from the warm yellow finish on the walls to the silver-gilded tableware. Each aspect of the decor resonated strongly with a great dining table made of maple that was smooth to the touch. Theo hadn’t been in anywhere this nice since he fraternized with a mage’s daughter in Lhavit. Theo was finally beginning to appreciate the time he had been given with his fond recollections, and was about to strike a conversation with the man to his right when a voice relocated his desires.

“Theo…?” Her jaw on the table, Rielly, fair as ever, questioned reality with one cheek in her chair. The two of them had shared love, if only for a little, but they both still harbored great feelings for each other.

“Rielly?” Theo squinted at her across the table in disbelief. “You,” He began, casting away the lump in his throat, “you look stunning.” Theo looked at Lester to see what judgment he was passing, but his eyes were set on a different target.

“Aedan! What a joy! I see you’re late as ever!” Lester had his widest grin so far as he met the hands of Rielly’s companion, a slender, sharp looking man with streaks of grey in his short black hair.

“My reputation continues to proceed me, Lester, what can I say?” The man smiled as his gaze moved to Theo, “And this is your young squire? I see you know how to pick them, even if he is your first.” Theo had never known he was Lester’s first squire.

“You’re Ser Vey’s squire?” Rielly blurted out as she realized how dumb of a question that was.

“Oh, Rielly, you and Theo know each other?” Lester pondered allowed, leaning back in his chair as if he were about to hear some great story.

“Well, yeah,” She replied, searching for more words in a humming silence. “Theo gets along with Lilly actually, the squire girl who you’ve seen me with.” Rielly broke a smile, relating the story to Aedan with a touch of his forearm. “Theo and her sparred one day and invited me to judge the contest.”

“Is that so? And who ended the victor?” Lester questioned, a sweat began to accumulate above Theo’s brow.

`“Lester, don’t embarrass the poor boy. No need to say, Rielly.” Ser Aedan instructed his daughter, relief washing over Theo’s mind briefly.

“No, Aedan, I must know. This is my pupil, I must know of his what trials he faces outside of myself, and I should especially know if he was defeated considering he bested me just earlier today.” Lester’s belligerence about the issue and the opposers reluctance therein made for a unique atmosphere at their section of the table now

Rielly had been looking at Theo, caution and worry were in her eyes, just like the moments prior to when they made love on the beach one fateful day. She looked at him for help, but he could offer none to to her there. She had chosen to lie, but also Theo invested in her lie, all he could do was hope she could spin it well enough now. Still, there was something good about this moment, a tenderness brewed in Theo’s heart for the girl who had once promised him life, a growing sympathy stayed in her for the wayward traveler turned knight-to-be. They were a season removed from those looks of condemnation they had given each other, and time seemed to have healed their ill-begotten disdain. Now, if only for a little, one’s interest was the other’s.

Rielly blossomed upwards, looking now to address her father’s sympathetic notions. .“It is of no recourse, father, I shall tell Lester it all as there is nothing to hide.” She smiled at Theo. “Well, as you know, Theo is a gentleman, handsome and charming,” Rielly looked at Theo with a smile of favor, “so you can believe my surprise when I found out the swordsman he was. Lilly is no slacker with the blade, but Theo met her every strike, and, counter to every attempt by Lilly, he won my awe and I awarded him the victory.”

Needless to say, Theo found her ravishing in these moments.

[Theo Popcampio]

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It was after the dinner that some of the guests left, but a good portion remained to drink wine and indulge in dessert. The four of them continued to talk as Aedan made inquiries into Theo and Lester’s happenings, taking a particular interest in Theo’s travels.

When the night was finally starting to wane down, as well as the wine, Lester broke a silence, “Theo, Aedan and I have a matter to discuss in private, would you mind finding something else to occupy yourself in the meantime?”

“Rielly, why do you not show him the paintings in the other room?” Aedan was quick to add.

“It would be my pleasure,” she relayed to her companions, smiling at Theo across the table. He was caught in her eyes until she kicked him, and wiggled her chair mildly. Theo sprang up and pulled Rielly’s chair out for her. “Why thank you,” she held her arm out for Theo and the two went onto view the art.

The two of them very quickly progressed through the collection of seasonal portraits of the Syliran landscape. They were beautiful works of art, but one piece in particular called the name: A man and a woman stood at the edge of a cliff, that was itself at the end of a twilight forest; they stood there holding each other in the forest’s break, reaching up towards the sky and their other with the free hand; the sky the lovers looked into was dark but not black, rather, a transitioning violet hung underneath the bright stars.

“What do you think they’re thinking of?”

“Nothing. They’re appreciating the moment they’re sharing together.”

“Rielly, I’ve been a fool. I do not wish to harbor this animosity towards you anymore. You were the first soul I met on this trip through, and we shared so little from the start but I truly did grow to fancy you. I miss you.”

“And I’ve missed you, Theo.” Rielly and Theo broke their gaze into the painting and met in a mutual position they found comfortably familiar. “I was the fool, Theo, scared our budding love would hold us both back. But I was wrong: Tonight I saw a side of you, both stoic and full of life, patient and ambitious. Perhaps it was I who would of held us back, held you back.”

The sincerity in Rielly’s voice rang clear, and Theo’s heart trembled and felt sore just for hearing them. Still, this was the moment of honesty they had needed, that all young lovers need; Rielly became even more beautiful with these passionate words, and Theo’s eyes took in the corporeal manifestation of her grace: Her slick, ash brown hair was pulled back tight, so nothing obstructed the enchantment of her green eyes and the realness of her freckled face. Looking down, a white sleeveless dress clung tight to her heavenly body, and even though she wasn’t supple and robust as simple men deemed desirable, it was clear to Theo she was the most beautiful woman in all of Syliras.

“All is forgiven, Rielly. Let’s leave the past where it is and appreciate our moment together.” And so they did, platonically this time, sharing lovely silence with sublime art.

It wasn’t long before Lester and Aedan made to gather their companions, but upon seeing how enamored the two were, they let them be. Eventually Lester let out a cough, and when Theo turned he was initially embarrassed, but his golly held true and the four shared a laugh.

“Aedan seems to have taken to you,” Lester told Theo as they made their way home. “But, be careful, you do not want to become involved in this city’s politics, at least until you have to. Rielly represents some of that, but fate has also brought you together; I do not condemn: I merely ask for your meditation.”

Theo offered his elder only silence and a smile. “Rielly’s alright. Ser Vey, you and the Knights of Syliras are first in my mind.”

“Theo, you are wise beyond your years, but do not let duty and reason neglect your heart. Do not become one of those honor-bound, familyless, bitterly stricken saps that makes power a surrogate for love. Those who follow their heart walk the true path of righteousness.”

“I’m glad you think so, Lester. I was afraid to say it myself.”

[Elias Caldera]

Behold, Your Just Reward!

Theo Popcampio

Experience and Lore :

Skills

• Longsword +4
• Reimancy +4
• Tactics +1
• Rhetoric +3
• Endurance +2
• Running +1
• Spiritism +1
• Observation +4
• Socialization +1

Lores

• Fighting With Fire and Steel
• Ser Vey: A Talented Warrior and Mage
• What The Knighthood Means to Me
• Winning, Even in Defeat
• Spiritism: The Danger's Ghosts Can Pose to the Living
• Rielly: A Love Rekindled

Miscellaneous :

Injuries

• Minor cuts and bruises from the sparring match [All relatively negligible and healed completely within only a few days]

Loot and Expenses

• None

Comments :

I enjoyed the thread thoroughly; it was thrilling and action packed, with a pleasant hint of romance right at the end. While I could go on singing its well deserved praises, there is a problem in your 4th post I wanted to focus on first.

You deflected Vey's fireball with your own res. Reimancers can only control their own res, not anyone else's. Now I thought about it, and its possible that you had Vey launch a fireball at you without any additional res to control it, but then you have to realize that without an extra layer of the stuff to hold the flames together, the fire would just fall apart as soon as he flung it, probably dissipating for the most part.

With that said, this does bring up another point; I am going to suggest you start placing more detail into your reimancy from now on. What you had here was very minimal at times but acceptable for a novice. At competent however, more is going to be expected of you, especially from tougher graders. I would start by working in the specifics of Leo's res manipulation and stuff like that to help bolster the word count when needed.

Don't Forget

Now that your thread is graded, be sure to edit your grade request to reflect as much. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to send me a private message and we'll work it out together.