NEVEN

A week passed after the fateful, brutal Gauntlet run. Days of preliminary classes which reminded him of his short time within the spire before becoming an Ice Squire. He chose a desk closest to the window, in a corner and out of everyone's way, but Kemal stubbornly placed himself nearby. Lessons pounded in his mind, and as Trainer Majen warned, being a Storm Warden involved more than battle prowess. Kemal always had a question ready for whatever the Magister Warden wrote on the board about Derelict classifications and recognizable signs. A solid basis for their work. He read multiple tomes about the Derelicts, and learned their depraved ways — and the cruelty the sunlands endured.

Survival skills became all too important — the difference between life and death, though he noted the lack of blizzard survival techniques. How many layers one should wear. Ways of brewing warming tonics for extended journeys outside the great cities. He found himself learning how to cook, and he frowned when Yusari gave him a smug, snide side-eye from her own station trying to mimic a camping cooking spit. He scowled and sent sapphire flames underneath the pot, keeping time on the soup.

A repetitive, predictable routine until Trainer Majen's announcement on the final day of the first week of their Warden training.

"As you know, I've been deliberating about who to choose as your Unit Leader," he said. "As we are about to go full force into your training after some rudimentary foundation skills." He whipped out a notebook with a smile. "I had three candidates in mind, but I've come to a decision after mulling over the actions of the first Gauntlet run."

Some of the Trainees in his unit dropped their heads in shame, though Yusari folded her arms and had no qualms. Neven pressed his arms together and focused on their Trainer instead of the stubborn, hot-headed Trainee. Trainer Majen came closer to them, then said, "A Unit Leader has their own responsibilities within the Unit, a budding Warden tapped for a possible leadership role in the future," he said. "As the Unit Leader, they'll be responsible for making sure you all work as a cohesive unit. They'll set the rules. They'll give you the jobs I hand down to them. It is a representation of how our structure works off of Euros. As such, a good Unit Leader will be sensible, but on other facets, uncompromising and consistent." Trainer Majen tapped the notebook. "Some of you have shown these qualities, only beset by certain flaws that will lead to the desynchronization of the group. And as you've all learned by now, Derelicts will take any weakness and rip you limb from limb for it. Sometimes, a good leader is what'll make the difference from a victory to a complete massacre. Knowing when to stand strong, to stop the advance of Derelicts, and to drag your team through the mud if necessary. Respect isn't given by default, it's earned." He put away the notebook. "Kemal Tyronai. Step forward."

Kemal jolted from his spot beside Neven near the end of the line, and the other Trainees beamed at him. He came closer to Trainer Majen, who brought a fist up to his heart.

"After some consideration, I'm naming you the Unit Leader of your Unit," he said. "It is a heavy responsibility, but I am confident with time you will grow into an exceptional Storm Warden with the skills this placement will teach you." He lowered his fist from his heart, and Kemal returned to the line, and Neven nodded at his friend.

"Congratulations," he whispered under his breath.

"Thanks." Kemal tucked his hands behind his back and held himself a little straighter.

"But first, let me reveal to you the other two candidates, and we'll have a bit of a questions game."

Everyone shuffled in anticipation.

"One of my other candidates was Neven Lotayrin," Trainer Majen said, ignoring the aghast looks on the other Trainees. "And the other, Yusari Ovana. Now, I'll pose a question to you all. Why did I pick Tyronai over Lotayrin and Ovana?" He folded his arms. "Arguably, Lotayrin with his experience would be the better fit. Ovana for her uncompromising stature. So, why did I pick Tyronai?"

Neven knew the answers would sting a little harder.

"Lotayrin tends to think he's better than the rest of us?" one Trainee mused.

"That's one issue with that," Yusari mumbled.

"Nope," Trainer Majen said with a wave of his hand. "Lotayrin, do you know why I didn't pick you?"

He knew, but shook his head all the same. I will fly. I will be stronger than the fear of apathy. His knees quaked on stone and the world spun downwards into a swallowed abyss. "Because I was scared?"

"No. Your fear is actually one of the reasons I considered you. Fear is good. You should be afraid of the Derelicts. We are not trying to tear that fear out of you. We're trying to temper it like a blade. It will keep you alive," Trainer Majen corrected. "Here's the simple fact of the matter when it comes to all of you. You are young, and think you know the entire world, and we know little and less about Naveera. If anything, this should be a golden opportunity to ask. As Storm Warden's, we will come across many different people with different viewpoints — some of them we won't always agree with. So, there are two reasons I did not choose Lotayrin. One, I can see that you will not so easily bend. I do not need a Unit Leader who can't corral his Unit on the simple basis that they will undermine him because his fatal flaw is that he cares too much, not because he thinks he's better than all of you. Which, from what I've seen, he doesn't. I have seen those types, a lot. They often get themselves killed." Trainer Majen smiled down at him. "Do not mistake me though, there is nothing wrong with caring. Lotayrin, tell me this honestly, when you left Naveera and saw Haneka for the first time, what did you think?"

"What?"

"Feel free to be honest," Trainer Majen said.

Neven cringed at the memory of the public display of affection. "I couldn't believe people hug in public." He bounced his fist off his palm. "Oh, and... it was very hot..." He drifted off when the Trainee's sneers dropped into confusion, including Yusari's. "What?"

"What do you mean you can't believe people hug in public?" Evani asked, aghast. "How do you greet your friends?"

Neven looked down the line. "Is... hugging not an issue? Are you not worried that someone will see?" He shuddered at the concept and audacity. "I mean, it took me off guard but I guess being here I started to see that it might not be that big of a deal to some people... not that I'd ever do it. Definitely not." He laughed with an explosion of nervousness, quivering when people stuck to the shadows after a meticulous, viciously spread scandal. "People have been scorned and judged for less, but hugging out in public? I still can't wrap my head around it."

"Like what?" Yusari asked through her teeth.

Neven gazed at her, then frowned. "Why do you want to know?" Yusari narrowed her eyes, but he gave up on her. "Fine. One time a couple held hands through a park. People saw, and the woman was shunned for trying to get ahead of her station by seducing the minor lord. I think her family married her off and she moved to a town out in the frost-lands."

Disgust coursed through Yusari's expression. "Oh, is that all she did? What about the guy?"

Neven blinked at her. "What about him? I said he's a minor lord."

"And that tells me all I need to know." Yusari scoffed and waved her hand at Trainer Majen. "So, why didn't you pick me then? You think Tyronai is going to correct Lotayrin when he spouts stuff like that? If you don't want de-synchronization within the group, then you need to get all of us on the same page, and how are we going to be on the same page with that?"

"What?" Neven frowned. "What am I spouting?"

"It must be so nice being in your own little world," Yusari snapped and stepped out of the line.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Neven snarled and met her on equal ground. "You asked! I told! If you didn't want to know, you shouldn't have asked! Maybe that's why you weren't picked." He stomped closer, and she brought up two glyphs in her hands. "You don't like it when you lose, and you know what I call that? A heavy dose of pride and no sense of humility. If you think I am the one who is condescending, maybe you should look in a mirror."

"My point has been proven," Trainer Majen said and stepped between them. "Kemal Tyronai showed a capability to learn, to accept what comes across his path and work with or around them. He has shown a stunning amount of curiosity, and most of all he can approach problems from an unbiased perspective."

"He's not unbiased," Yusari complained. "They're friends."

Some of the Trainees bickered and raised their voices. Neven clenched his fists, then bit, "You have yet to tell me what I have done wrong, or how I have offended you. If you'd tell me, I could rectify it."

"If you haven't figured it out yet, that's your problem."

Kemal stepped forward. "Both of you need to shut up," he said, firm as Trainer Majen tipped his head. "It is too early for this. If you think I am not unbiased, Yusari, then that's your problem if you want to hold a grudge when you refuse to let go of them even when they start being detrimental to you and not the person who's on the receiving end of them. If Neven starts acting holier than thou, I'll be the first to kick out his pedestal because I don't want my friend to be an inflated jackass and get himself killed. Or anyone on my team for that matter. Neven's clueless, not malicious."

"Thanks," Neven grumbled, but went quiet when Kemal slapped his brow and pushed him aside.

Trainer Majen beamed. "You heard your Unit Leader. You may all be young, but you're training to be Storm Wardens now. You need to hold yourself to a higher standard and leave the petty child arguments for your breaks, and not your training time. You won't have time for them when you become Storm Wardens. So get it out and let it go." He used his hand to push Yusari and Neven both back into line. Agitation ripped through the other Trainees, and he took out a different notebook and handed it to Kemal. "Tyronai, that is next week's chores for your Unit. Make sure they get done. I will post the names on your barracks board, and I will hear no arguments. Let's get to work."

Neven found himself unable to focus on his training with Yusari's harsh words on his mind. He whacked at his opponent with a taste of ferocity, or ran along with the group and chewed on confusion. When Trainer Majen called for a break long after his legs gave out, he shuffled over to a box and sat alone, drinking from the canteen they gave him for supplies.

"Hello, Lotayrin, I haven't talked to you in a while."

He lifted his gaze over the rim of the cup at the familiar, clear Navei. Anaysa stood in the light, her blade gleaming gold. He sipped at his canteen and kept his attention locked on her boots instead, before drawing them up to the group, Kemal among them as he appeared to direct the other Trainees with a sense of hesitance, but he showed capability he lacked and lost. "Hello, Warden Anaysa."

Neven jumped when Warden Anaysa sat beside him, and smiled. "How's training been treating you?"

"Fine..."

Warden Anaysa raised an eyebrow. "Lotayrin, we're not in Naveera anymore."

"I know." He drove his fangs into the edge of the canteen. "I just seem to put my song in my mouth."

Warden Anaysa swayed. "Are you happy for Tyronai?"

"Yes? Why wouldn't I be?"

"You do not feel owed what he received?"

"No?" Confusion danced on his brow. "Ah... why would I feel that way? He did something I could not. He deserves it the most. I conducted myself shamefully. On the Gauntlet and just now." He curled his shoulders and guzzled the water.

"Because you have come from a pedestal that you willingly jumped off," she pointed out.

"It wasn't my pedestal." Neven dropped his canteen to his lap. "I'm used to it."

"I think it says a lot about you that you aren't resentful. Resentment is often where it starts." Warden Anaysa's feathers thinned against her dark golden hair. "I just thought I'd check in on you. I'm the one who recruited you after all. Besides, I think you've come a long way from the boy on someone else's pedestal."

Neven found himself smiling at her praise. "Thank you." He straightened himself out when Kemal came to him, though dragged Evani along who whined and tried to pull back, but Kemal clutched his collar and continued on without hesitation.

"Nev, Evani wants to tell you something." Kemal kneed him in the spine, forcing Evani to come closer. "Evani..." He waved his hand out.

"Um..." Evani rubbed his fingers and puffed out his lips. "I'm, uh..." He bounced on his heels and whimpered something in Hanekan, though Kemal gave their fellow Trainee no quarter. "I was wondering if you wanted to join some of us on the south beach to... surf..."

"...Surf?"

Evani nodded, but Kemal pushed, "And?"

"I'm sorry for how I acted," he said, then bowed his head. "I think I might have assumed wrong of you. We're both going to be Storm Wardens, and I guess I just don't know anything about Naveera... do your people really not hug?"

Neven shook his head. "Not in public."

"That is..." Evani shook his head. "Well, do you want to come with us down to the south beach?"

Neven looked at Warden Anaysa, but she already got up and walked away. "Um..." He stood up himself, and took the first step of knowledge. Questions. "You're going to have to tell me what surfing is. I've never heard of it."

Evani's nervousness flowed out into an excited gleam. "Let's go!"

It took until the eve for them to reach the south beach, where some other Trainees milled about. "Oi!" Evani bounced. "Neven and Kemal are joining us!" He ran up to the ones who glanced at him with uncertainty. "He doesn't know what surfing is." With a quick, noted flourish, he formed strong boards out of the water.

"You don't?" one questioned.

Neven shook his head.

"Well, no time like the present to learn this old pastime of the Hanekan islands!"

"It's also a fantastic way to get your ankles nibbled by Derelicts," Kemal mumbled.

"Ignore Kemal, he knows not what he says."

"I think I know what I say, Evani — I am from one of those said islands."

Neven smiled at the spread of warmth against the blizzard's chills. "Is it... anything like snowgliding?" Homesickness swallowed his heart and he came closer to the group.

"What's snowgliding?" Evani asked, and he jolted when Kemal flopped down onto the sand and rested his hands behind his head.

"It's... well, we use gliders to glide down the dunes outside of Irimount," he explained.

"Oh! Well, this might be similar. It's just water instead of snow."

Neven observed in fascination when Evani leaped onto one of the boards. "It's fun," Evani said with a wave, and motioned at the one beside him. "Get over here, Lotayrin. We're going to teach you the Hanekan way of having some fun."

Neven glanced at the others, who met his stare.

"Okay, teach me," he said and trudged to the board.

"Awesome." Evani cheered up considerably from when he first met the subdued boy.

"You don't know what you've done, Neven," Kemal said from the sidelines.

"How bad can it be?" Neven asked, and followed Evani out to the endless waves of the dancing sun.

I just want to feel like I'm a part of this... that we share the same conviction — to protect the light, and the entire world.