[Flashback] Summer fun! (Xalet)

[Bob Barton]

What was that first statement, work on your body more? If only things was that easy. Life was unfair and no two people are the same. A good example here? Obviously its the great difference in height between the midget and the akalak. The only reply which could have been gotten from the statement was Bob walking up to the akalak and while putting his hand over his head moved it towards the akalak's body to compare their heights saying "Easy for you to say!"

Did Bob upset the akalak? Who was this Priskil to commend so much respect. A goddess? Bob did not believe in gods and goddesses alike but when the akalak got on his feet he started praying to them himself quietly so that the akalak won't decide to do something rash. Opening his eyes when nothing had happened, Bob was relieved and prepared to continue "I don't believe in gods. Why should I? I have been getting by just fine without any."

"Well its no fun to me! Lucky this is summer and after that hellish chase you put me through I think getting wet like this is good." smiling in defiance that he would always make himself the winner somehow or another in the end. Bob tried to imagine the akalak doing the kneecap as he eyeballed him all over. No, the problem was not the armour but his size. He was just far too big to try risking diving in battle like that. It would take him what...a lot longer to even reach the ground? Humming and covering his mouth to think, Bob talked a little muffled "The problem is not the platemail...but your height. You should try and make your own attack to take advantage of that, like I did."

[Xalet]

"Hmmph..." the akalak didn't exactly look pleased with Bob's dismissal of the Gods, but at the same time he wasn't one to punish others for their beliefs. As long as those beliefs weren't malicious. Of course, Priskil and her followers were anything but pacifists. The taint of evil could only be cut through by the sword of righteousness. Not that Xalet had to be doing much evil cutting lately, it was lucky for him that his life was as safe as it was behind the walls of Syliras.

"You don't have to believe, but then, you don't have to believe in water, or dirt. It just is, as are the Gods. It's hard to describe, but if you met Priskil, you might understand. She is one who sees past status, race, education, title...everything. She is incredibly humble, at yet at the same time unimaginably powerful. She requires nothing of her followers. Believing in her is more liberating than restricting." Xalet had to stop there, before he knew it he was preaching. He usually kept his statements quick and succinct, but when it came to Priskil, he had trouble staying his tongue.

"Sometimes height just makes you a larger target. There are not many akalak within the Knights, so most of my trainers are human, although my Patron is konti." of course, truth be told there weren't many akalak in all of Syliras. Simply being what he was sometimes gave Xalet trouble, and he counted himself lucky to be moved to a Patron that understood his race. "One day I may discover my own maneuvers. For now I work at practicing the basics of my instructors."

[Bob Barton]

Bob could see that the akalak did not like what he said. Then he went on and on about this Priskil. Kind of like how his uncle would lecture him back home everytime he did something "wrong". "I believe in water and dirt just fine because they help me live. What has the gods ever done for me?" Then Bob looked around before continuing to talk because what he is going to say might offend some people. Satisfied that only the akalak might be the one listening in "Your Priskil sound like a a real swell person, maybe I should meet her. But it seems too good to be true. Would a lion herd with sheep? Do the knights just take anyone off the streets?" The last bit about the knights he said in a very small voice but tried to maintain his snarky tone.

Oh yes this akalak was lucky and naive as well. He had his height, his strong body and knightly instructors too. Bob did not want to but he could not help it, having a little hostility in him. "At least you have trainers and instructors. Some of us would be lucky to even have someone teach us the basics but have to learn the rest on our own. Not everyone has been so gifted to have strength and knighthood..." Bob paused and slowly pointed his finger "...like YOU!"

[Xalet]

"Yes." Xalet responded to Bob's comment of a lion herding with sheep, "And yes." he replied similarly when asked if the Knights took anyone off the streets. "Courage and will is something that even the Gods treasure. You never know, perhaps you will meet one, one day. And the Knights..." he affixed the strapping on his shield to his arm, before slinging it up and over his shoulder, leaving the large plank across his back as it had been previously. "...are always accepting."

Xalet moved to pick up his helm next, his tired body causing his metal plates to creek slightly as he bent to retrieve it. "Though it's not a gift. I'm not a Knight, just a squire. I don't make my own earnings, I don't have a title, a horse, or even my own home. Yes, the Knights will accept just about everyone, but not everyone will accept the Knights. The training is long, most of the day. You may wish for a nightlife, but you would be too exhausted to enjoy it. You may wish for a break, but your Patron may not allow it." The Knights had quite a system going for them. Indeed, anyone who was not cut out to be a Knight easily washed out amongst the physical and mental regimen of training.

"You could become one, if you wanted to. There are even powerful Mage Knights to instruct one in honing their craft. Only if you had talent in magery of course." retrieving some of the electrifying dramatics from Bob, the akalak pointed at him in turn, although the arc of his finger was a bit skewed downward, given their height difference.

[Bob Barton]

Was this akalak naive? Scratch that, he was actually really naive. What kind of answers are those? They just upset the natural balance of things. "I thought I hit you in the knee? Lions eat sheep. Even if they lived together long it will end up just that. You cannot go against what is natural." Gesturing his hands, Bob tried to make a shape of a lion's jaw and teeth with both clamping them down. "The strong will always prey on the weak!" while saying that he made the jaw look at the akalak at the mention of strong and look at Bob at the mention of weak.

"You yourself said that now everyone will accept the Knights. Don't you think they may make life like that on purpose so that they don't have to reject you and still look good?" Bob stepped back as though the akalak's electrifying dramatic point had some sort of physical attack, trying to block it by throwing his arm across his body. Then he swept the arm back like he was throwing the energy away. Leaning over to the akalak and whispering "Yeah mage knights...but I already have a good teacher eventhough he is a...nevermind..."

Bob was uncomfortable to keep talking about himself with knights and gods like this so he tried to change the subject "Anyway you are pretty far away from home, and joining the knights yielded you nothing...so why?"

[Xalet]

"They can. If they choose, the strong can teach the weak to be strong." an akalak and a human discussion life ambitions was a precarious thing. They both wanted different goals in life, and while Xalet had lived in a mostly human culture for the better part of his youth, he was still an akalak. There were things about him that could never be changed, that could never be weeded out with training or etiquette.

With a shrug, Xalet replied on Bob's knightly inquiry with little emotion, "I wouldn't know all their plans, I just know it works. If you want to be a Knight and you give it everything you've got, you can. I wouldn't reject someone without seeing them perform." Xalet could see some of the unease in Bob's expressive face as they spoke. How completely different they were was almost comical. It was a difference that went completely through both physical appearance and personal values.

"Why not? Training, equipment to use, discipline. Most importantly..." he continued, slipping off his right gauntlet. Clutching the metal hand covering in his left hand, he held his right hand up, palm facing Bob where the soft glow of an elaborately shaped vortex almost appeared to be carved into his skin. With a slight flex of his hand it glowed with some brilliance, even in the day. It was a strange light said to warm the soul, to turn fear to courage and uncertainty to security. "...Priskil seems to believe in this path, so I'll follow it."

[Bob Barton]

The akalak seemed insistent that the weak and strong can be together. No matter, Bob will try and prove him wrong and show him how life can be. Yes...the strong are nothing but hypocrites in this world. You can only rely on yourself in the end. Now staring intensely at the akalak, "So, if they choose the strong can teach the weak? Fine then, show me what you say is true. Teach me how to be strong." Bob smirked, when the akalak refused he will show that he was right.

Bob watched as the akalak removed the gauntlet. Are the gloves coming off? Another show of violence and curse these bullies. But seeing nothing he continued, "Training, equipment and discipline? Are those enough? What life is that? You yourself said you have no earnings, title, horse or home and the fact you mentioned it proves you place some importance in it."

When Bob stopped he noticed the glowing thing on the akalak's hand. It was hard to miss. Hah! Another magician. "You really are a hypocrite. After all that talk about magic you have powers of your own! So you joined the knights just because someone else asked you rather than your own decisions?" Bob was surprised with that final revelation since he himself left home on his own accord to pursue his aspirations of becoming a great gambler. One which was at odds with his own uncle. This akalak was very much different from him in all aspects of their life.

[Xalet]

"Yes." Xalet nodded simply. Weak and strong were such immeasurable circumstances of oneself that, although he had no idea how to clearly define one or the other, he knew it was possible to change the way one was perceived as one way or the other. To someone like Bob he may have seemed stronger, but to someone like his Patron...he certainly could have used a great deal more training. "I'm often around the city doing just that. Train with me for two months time, and you will learn to become stronger. Your body is one aspect of strength, in your mind you must find peace so that you can focus."

"But, you may find no happiness in my life, the same way I might not find any in yours. Our lives simply are. Some choices we do not get to make, but some we do. You and I exist to be each others opposite, it would seem." He tucked his gauntlet back onto his hand, covering the light until it faded completely out of sight.

"The power is not my own. It is a gift from Priskil. It is not powered by any energy I command, but instead by a sliver of Priskil's might. It cannot corrupt the body, and should it be used for evil means Priskil can always sever that which fuels it." His brow furrowed slightly when Bob mentioned someone choosing the path of the Knights for him. Of course, should someone important to him force him to continue, he probably would do so. That was simply out of a sense of duty. "I chose to become a squire, Priskil seemed pleased with that decision. That was all. But I will tell you, Bob Barton, I am Xalet, squire to Sergeant Irine Braklin. I tell you this so that one day, if we meet in the future, I can ably show you the reasons I choose this path. Maybe we'll see if then, you can show me the reason you choose yours."

[Bob Barton]

Bob cursed himself in his mind. This squire's knightly mentality foiled his plans. And now Bob would have to train with Xalet for two months? The guy is big and from wearing his bulky, heavy armour, Its easy for Bob to conclude that he was strong as well. If that was any indication even what Xalet would consider the easiest and lightest he could give Bob will be extremely tough especially if it would tie in with his harsh squire training. But he was the one who played the cards, and he will be the one to pay its cost. As a gambler this is a solid rule you can never stray from. "Fine, then it will be two months that I would have a chance to show you how wrong you are about the strong and weak."

Opposite? He can't be more right. From size to mentality the pair were different. "Yes Priskil...your goddess. Well, I'll only believe in gods if I ever see one. Maybe even more if something all powerful happens. And it looks like goddesses keep their people on a tight leash through their gift. I wouldn't want that..." Bob crossed his arm to think. Show him the reason of the path chosen? That is a pretty...personal question...but Xalet did show that special magical god lightshow. Bob just thought he'd take another gamble with this one. "I chose what I do because its my...legacy..." Bob started to think back of the book he left with the rest of his things back at his room.

[Xalet]

Xalet never thought Bob would accept his offer, that would certainly make things interesting. A great deal of the exercise Xalet did had no height requirement though, so the feats of strength that needed to be demonstrated were at least somewhat pliable to those with...less of a vertical advantage. "Excellent, this is a good day, for it will be you whom sees the wondrous abilities the physical body is capable of." he replied in return. It seemed that the one thing both had in common was they were both cocky when it came to their statements of how those two months would end.

"A legacy?" Xalet sounded genuinely surprised, that was a word he did not think of to hear from one such as Bob. From what Xalet understood of legacies, they were handed down through the generations, sometimes as gifts, but other times as burdens. "Is it a choice, or destiny..." he wondered out-loud, although his statement didn't seem to be directed at Bob, but more rhetorical in nature.

"Well then, if you truly wish to join me, eat hearty and rest well Bob Barton. I will be at the main gates tomorrow morning, when the sun has crested the horizon." said the tall, purple tinted squire. Part of him didn't expect Bob to show up, in which case he could begin his training routine as usual. If the excitable human DID show, well, he would have to do his best to improvise. "Any questions?"