T A L O N
Searing 59, 122
6:45 PM
Gesindelholm
It had become his routine to periodically visit Trashtown and walk unseen among the populace. He would spend the evenings thwarting thieves where he could see them and stopping violence in ways that did not force him to expose himself. He left coin where it made sense to do so, doing what he could to quietly improve the lives of the disenfranchised. If he was to be a prisoner, he would at least do what good he could within the confines of that prison. He stood atop one of the buildings overlooking the troubled neighborhoods. He was continuing to bend the light so that he remained unseen.
“Ow! Fuck! Gods! Son of a--” A loud exclamation of pain followed by the crash of someone bumping into crates sounded behind him. Talon turned, looking behind him to see a form sprawled over several collapsed crates that were beneath a rickety looking water tower. He ceased bending the light around himself and approached the form that was supine among the wreckage he had caused. He came to stand just over the human, peering down at him.
“Uh. Hi.” Mathias blinked up at him, a flush of embarrassment upon his cheeks. Talon arched an eyebrow before extending a hand to the young man. Mathias hesitated a moment before taking his hand. Talon hauled him to his feet. He underestimated how light the young man was and ended up yanking him out of the pile of wood and dust that he had fallen into with much greater force than he intended. Mathias stumbled into him and after an awkward moment, he stepped back.
“Jeez, you’re strong.” The thief blinked his eyes rapidly as if he were trying to clear his vision. “Ow.”
“How did you find me?” He asked the obvious question. His efforts to conceal himself were not what he would have called grand but they should have been more than enough to prevent being followed by ordinary people. Mathias rubbed at his eyes, scrunching his brow.
“Your aura.” Mathias blinked again. Surprise but also understanding dawned on him. He reached out and touched Mathias on the shoulder with one hand. With his other hand, Talon pressed the tips of his fingers to Mathias brow just above his eyes.
“Hold still.” The thief went very still. It was not the stillness of trust but rather obedience born from uncertainty. Talon ignored that for the moment as he opened up his senses to the aether flux. He focused his attention on the area around Mathias eyes. The aetheric pathways there were somewhat fractured. They almost looked burned at the edges. It did not take much to put two and two together. Mathias had peered past the edge of the mask that he wrapped around himself in order to conceal his aura. How Mathias had been able to find his aura at all was another question. Reaching out, Talon grasped hold of the aether flux within Mathias. He took hold of the fractures within the aetheric pathways around Mathias eyes and rewove them, repairing them in short order. He withdrew his hold of the flux within the young man and also removed his hand from the young man’s brow.
Mathias blinked, his gaze coming into focus as he looked up at him.
“Thanks.” Talon nodded. He folded his arms over his chest and looked at Mathias expectantly.
“You are a Sembler.” He must have overlooked that part about the young man in their last interaction. The thief’s aura had been so drenched with fear it had been hard to sort through anything else in their brief interaction. Mathias looked anywhere but at him.
“I was masking my aura as well as my presence. How did you find me?” When the young man did not answer. “Mathias.”
The thief flinched.
“I wasn’t tracking your aura. Not exactly anyways. I couldn’t pinpoint you specifically but I could see where your magic touched. People’s magic has a signature just like them. When you left the other day, I read yours.” Mathias scuffed the rooftop with his shoe.
“I do not recommend looking at my aura directly.” He had learned some time ago how important it was to mask his aura. It was both a precaution he took to conceal himself and to prevent those with aethereal sight from being blinded. Mathias gave a dry laugh.
“Yeah, no shit. I will not being doing that again.” He rubbed at one of his eyes. “What are you?”
“You should go home.” He turned, walking toward the edge of the rooftop.
“H-hey! Wait a minute!” Before he could vault away, he felt a hand grab his wrist. His head whipped around to stare at the hand grabbing his wrist. Mathias immediately let go, taking several steps back, holding his hands up in surrender. Talon stared at him.
“Go home, Mathias.” Talon turned and readied himself to teleport away.
“I can’t.” He stopped. “There was…there was a purge. You wouldn’t understand. The gang I was part of got routed. Our house was raided by a bigger gang. Those of us still breathing had to run for our lives.”
Talon looked at Mathias with renewed scrutiny. He saw old cuts and a few bruises where his skin was exposed. They were mottled and healing but they were there. He frowned. Mathias shook his head.
“Look, I’m sorry for bothering you. It’s not your problem. I just thought…I’ll go.” The young man moved to leave. Talon grabbed his shoulder.
“Thought what?” He turned Mathias body so that he faced him.
“Nevermind. I’ll just go. You have bigger--” Talon interrupted him by bending slightly so that they were eye to eye. It had the desired effect of drawing the young man’s full attention.
“Thought what, Mathias?” He kept his gaze focused on the young man. The thief shifted uncomfortably before muttering.
“That you might know somewhere safe I can go.” He considered the thief’s statement. Did he know somewhere safe? Truthfully, he did not. For him, nowhere in the empire was safe. He was bidden to serve the whim of the Emperor no matter his opinions on the task assigned. He was at the beck and call of a man who was as much a mystery to him as the machinations of the empire at large. Mathias shrugged out of his grip.
“Like I said, you have bigger things on your mind. I don’t expect a Kathar--”
“Synnekar.” He corrected. Mathias blinked at him. “I am a Synnekar Avialae.”
“What does that mean?” Mathias was looking at him with an uncertain expression. Talon sighed. He ran a hand through his hair. He did not know the extent to which Imperial citizens knew the difference between his two people’s. Then again, he did not know whether Mathias had an education at all.
“It means I am different.” He settled on that. It was not an explanation but they were not in a position to truly get into a discussion about the variance between cultures. The most glaringly obvious difference being a lack of enslavement. He stepped past Mathias, bringing up a hand. With a flick of his thoughts he aligned the spatial pathways to the nearest thing that he could consider safe for the two of them. It was a place that had become his haven away from the Palace of Spires. With a ripple of aether, the space in front of him split open into a portal from the rooftop to the lighthouse that he frequented. As soon as it opened, Mathias exclaimed and took a step back. His eyes went wide.
“Jeez, how many powers do you have!?” The young man stared at the portal in shock. Talon smirked as he extended a hand to the thief.
“Many.” He solidified the portal so that it would remain stable as he regarded the human. Mathias stared at the portal with uncertainty. Talon offered his hand again. After a moment’s more hesitation, Mathias took his hand and Talon ushered them both through the portal.
As soon as they were on the other side, he closed it behind them. The quiet of the room was a stark contrast to the background noise of Gesindelholm. The caw of seagulls mixed with the soft lapping of waves against the seashore was all that waited for them in the lighthouse. As soon as he had come to consider the lighthouse a haven, he had inquired about purchasing the property for himself. It had not taken long, perhaps less than a day before the papers had presented before him. He had purchased it and brought on the lighthouse keeper and a few others as staff to maintain it in his absence. From what he understood, it had once been manned by the Kathar Legion but they had since abandoned its use as watchtower with the advancement of Imperial naval technologies. It had been converted to a lighthouse and used sporadically ever since. He had not had enough time to properly renovate the property but it was comfortable. Truly, anywhere was comfortable after six months sleeping in chains on a stone floor or a straw mat.
“Where are we?” Mathias looked around the room. He looked out the window with a mild amount of concern.
“Still in Gel’Grandal. We are in a lighthouse overlooking the bay.” Talon moved over to the wrought-iron spiral staircase that led down to the lower floors of the tower. “Wait here.”
Talon descended to the lower floors until he reached the bathroom. He was glad to see that it was in good working condition. He took most of his baths and showers in his quarters in the palace. Still, it was also an area he would likely see renovated. He turned on the water and frowned when it ran cold for a few minutes. Fortunately he could remedy that. He touched a hand to the wall, examining it through both his Semblance and Kinetic aether sight. With a quick application of Sculpting he carved out two alcoves within the stone wall. Expanding outward from it he created a carved network of symbols, creating a Glyph designed to transport and regulate the heat of whatever passed through it. Tapping into the power of his Elementalism, he funneled his aether into the crevices of the sigil he had created and solidified them into a quartz crystal. Drawing upon his elementalism once more, he fashioned two lodestones. The first was a crystal of fire and the second one of water. He placed them into the alcoves he had created then stepped back to observe his handiwork.
It was a rudimentary design overall but it would do the job. He passed a hand over the water crystal and watched as the clean water began to fill the tub. He passed his hand over the fire crystal, observing as the Glyph drew in the heat it released and modulated it to create a pleasantly warm temperature. It would remain that way until the bath was drained. He nodded then rummaged about for some soap and towels. When the bath was full, he stopped the water flow. Returning to the room, he found Mathias standing out on the platform surrounding it, overlooking the sea. The human must have heard him for he spoke over his shoulder.
“It’s beautiful here.” Talon had to agree.
“I have drawn you a bath.” The young man stepped back into the room and followed him down to the bathroom. After giving a simple explanation of the mechanism he had created, Mathias nodded.
“Uh…I don’t have any other clothes.” He looked down at himself. Mathias was wearing some very worn pants, plain shoes and a vest and jacket that looked like it had been patched over and adjusted several times. A career of fashioning armor and clothes for others and it did not take him long to size up the young man. He gave a nod.
“Wash up. I will have something for you.” He moved to leave the bathroom.
“You don’t have to. I mean…these are fine. I just…I can wash them. After I bathe. Don’t--don’t trouble yourself.” Mathias was half-way reaching for him but had stopped short of touching his nearest wing. Talon regarded the young man for a moment.
“Wash up.” He could feel the human’s unease but there was no further comment. While Mathias bathed, Talon returned to his chambers in the Palace of Spires. He could not teleport to the interior of the palace but he got close enough that he could fly the rest of the way there. Once inside, he collected a simple pair of pants, a shirt, jacket, and a pair of boots. He then asked the staff for a meal that he could take with him, enough to feed two. By the time he returned, Mathias was toweling himself off. He knocked on the doorframe of the bathroom, prompting the young man to jerk up and swivel his head to look at him. When Mathias saw it was him, he visibly relaxed. Talon took the moment to observe the full extent of the young man’s physical state. While he could perceive it through his Semblance, it was sometimes better to see the reality of it right in front of him.
A multitude of scars criss-crossed across the young man’s back. He was thin and wiry, with not nearly enough weight on him to pass as healthy. Bruises and cuts that were freshly scabbed over were visible in various places. Centered between his shoulder blades was a rune that Talon knew all too well. As the young man pulled on his undergarments, Talon handed him the pants and shirt. He looked at them before taking them into his hands. As soon as his fingers touched the fabric, he looked visibly emotional. Talon did not comment but allowed the human a moment to compose himself. When Mathias had slipped on the pants and shirt, he gave a light chuckle.
“Uh…not to sound ungrateful but I am nowhere near big enough for these.” He looked up at Talon who could not help the small tug of amusement that pulled at his lips. He stepped forward and tugged the pant legs up so that they were not bunched beneath Mathias feet.
“Hold still.” Mathias complied. Talon touched the tips of his fingers to Mathias brow. Carefully he extended a thin coating of kinetic force around the young man’s body as close to its surface as he could safely make. He then took hold of the clothing he was wearing and utilized Sculpting to reshape the size of the material so that his fit the young man’s form. He folded the excess material in on itself, creating a layer of reinforcement within the fabric that would make it sturdier and less prone to tearing. Dispersing it across the material prevented it from becoming stiff. When he was finished, he removed his hand from Mathias brow.
“Better?” He quirked a brow at the thief. Mathias rotated his waist and moved his arms. He lifted his legs and after a few moments of testing his maneuverability he nodded. He then looked at the boots skeptically. Talon chuckled but bade him to put them on. They swallowed his legs and feet, being several sizes too big. As with the shirt and pants, Talon adjusted them with his mastery over Kinetics until they were the appropriate size. Mathias tested them out once they were adjusted and after a moment, nodded.
“Dinner is downstairs.” Talon stepped out of the bathroom and went down to the common area of the lighthouse. The table was set with a simple meal of stew with vegetables and bread. He seated himself and began eating quietly. Before long, he heard footsteps. Glancing up, he gestured to the seat across from him. Mathias took his place at the table. After a moment, he began digging into the food that had been set for him. After the first few bites, Talon poured himself a glass of water, then one for Mathias. The young man accepted it with both hands, muttering his thanks.
“Where will you go?” Talon broke the silence. Mathias paused mid-bite between scooping up some of the stew with a bread roll. His mouth hung open before he pushed at the stew in his bowl.
“I don’t know. Find another gang, I suppose. Prove myself useful.” He picked at his bread roll and continued eating albeit more slowly.
“How will you do that?” Talon blinked at him. The young man shrugged.
“I can read. Can’t write. I can count enough to know what's worth what. That’s more than most. Plus…well…I don’t really share my magic. Use it enough to get by.” Mathias rubbed his shoulders. “Look, I’ll figure it out. Just gotta make it through tonight is all.”
An idea was forming in his head but Talon held off on bringing it up.
“How did you get your Semblance?” He looked at the young man carefully. Mathias shoulders hunched a bit. He looked down at his stew. His eyes squinted and his grip on his spoon tightened. Whatever he was about to say was painful. Talon gave him a moment.
“My mom. She taught me to read. Taught me how to count. Gave me the magic before she died. Her last gift to me before she got sick.” The thief looked away, staring off into the distance.
“I see.” Talon closed his eyes for a moment. “You are not going to like what I have to say.”
He could feel Mathias tense.
“I have to leave, don’t I?” Talon opened his eyes to meet the thief’s gaze. He looked tired. He looked bleak.
“Perhaps. That will be up to you.” Talon watched as Mathias tensed but the young man leaned forward, listening. He continued. “You cannot stay here indefinitely because I will not be staying here. Not for much longer at any rate. Regardless, there is a world beyond these walls. A world that will not wait for you to be ready for it.”
“I know that.” Mathias stared down at his unfinished stew. Talon merely arched an eyebrow. He had no doubt that the thief had skills that had served him well. The fact that he was alive when the rest of his gang was not said as much.
“I am leaving, Mathias. Soon. I may return alive. I may not.” That made the young man’s head jerk up, a look of surprise on his face. Talon folded his arms over his chest. “What I am offering is this; you may stay here until I leave. After that, you will be on your own.”
Mathias expression hardened. Already, Talon could see him planning his route for survival, figuring out how to make the most of his time until Talon had to leave.
“Or…” Mathias blinked at him. “You may travel with me, as my Squire.”
The thief opened his mouth. Talon held up a hand to silence him.
“It will not be an easy journey. You will need to be sharp. I would need you at your most alert as well as your strongest. Where we would be going is a dangerous place. You could be killed. As such, you would be training, learning, and expected to pull your own weight.” He let that sink in as Mathias mouth closed. “You do not need to answer me now.”
“I already know my choice.” He spoke softly but with a steady certainty that had Talon’s attention. “I’m as good as dead here anyways. The gang that routed mine isn’t known for being merciful.”
Mathias gave a bitter laugh.
“Hells, if I hadn’t followed you, I probably would be dead right now.” Talon watched as Mathias gave him a watery smile. “At least with you I’ll get to see something exciting. At least with you, I’ll get to go somewhere else? Some place new? Not this shithole. Not this pit that just…that just swallows everything…gods…I…I don’t want to die here…”
With every word, Mathias composure began to crack. Talon did not speak. He let the young man sort through his emotions. It took several minutes but eventually, Mathias calmed himself down. Talon nodded.
“Finish eating.” He stood up from the table, sliding the rest of his meal over to the thief. Mathias took it wordlessly and slowly began eating. Talon wondered when the last time he had eaten was. He would not have been surprised if it had been when they had last seen each other. He walked up the stairs to the top room. It was the only room in the lighthouse that was properly outfitted for sleep. He took a few blankets and a few pillows and made a pallet for himself on the floor. He fixed the bed, making sure it was comfortable. He touched a hand to the center of his chest and willed the armor upon his body to shift. It shifted, flowing up his body and gathering around his waist to become a simple pair of form fitting grey pants that ended at his knees and a pair of bracers around his forearms. He turned just in time to hear Mathias footsteps enter the room. He was looking at him in amazement.
“That was cool.” Talon did not comment. His feelings on the armor he could never remove but merely change the shape of, were many. Few of them positive. He stood up straight and gestured to the bed.
“Get some sleep.” Again, Mathias looked like he might lose his composure. He was certain that all of this was overwhelming for the young man. He simply nodded and removed his boots carefully. He stepped up to the bed then looked at the pallet on the floor.
“I…I can sleep on the floor. You probably need more rest than I do.” Talon shook his head.
“Believe me, I have slept in worse conditions.” He let a wry smile spread across his face. Talon picked up a blanket and unfurled it, spreading it over his pallet. Mathias hesitated.
“Talon?” He turned and was surprised when the young man suddenly rushed forward. Mathias wrapped his arms around his waist and squeezed him fiercely. Talon blinked, stiffening at first, his wings flaring slightly. After a moment, he relaxed and wrapped his arms around the young man, squeezing him tightly. Mathias did not need to say anything more. When they separated, he gave the young man a pat on the shoulder then nudged him toward the bed. Talon raised a hand summoning an anchor to his palm. He released it so that it clung to the ceiling. He then placed another at the threshold of the staircase, then a third in the center of the room on the floor. Snapping his fingers he connected the three anchors and established a barrier around the interior of the room. He wove his aether signature into the barrier so that the layers around the walls would only allow him to pass. At the staircase he added Mathias aetheric signature to the ward.
“You have got to teach that to me.” Mathias was looking at the barrier in awe as it settled and became invisible. Talon chuckled as he made himself comfortable on the pallet on the floor.
“You will learn. When you are ready.” He stretched out on his side, draping one of his wings over himself.
He heard the young man make himself comfortable in the bed.
“Talon?” He lifted his head slightly to indicate he was listening. “Thank you.”
“Do not thank me yet, Mathias. The road ahead will be challenging.” Talon had trained with many soldiers over his lifetime. He had led them into battle against monstrosities. He had commanded battalions as overseer of the Sky Guard. Most of them had started young, younger than Mathias was from what he could tell. They had been much healthier too. He would have to gauge where the young man stood.
“Still, thank you.” Mathias shifted in the blankets and rolled over onto his side. The creak of the mattress told Talon as much.
“Rest well. We begin when you awaken.” The morning would bring with it many things. A new chapter both in his life and that of his squire.
A new horizon for both of them.