The Gift
Edward's Storyline, Chapter 7.1
copyright comidacomida 2018
A week passed without hearing so much as a rumor or a hint of the Spirit of War's presence. Treboada said it was a good thing; she was not subtle and if she'd planned any kind of revenge for us meddling in her affairs we'd have had some kind of indication. Tom agreed, pointing out that she rarely if ever acted in secret; the very point of her existence was to get attention with as much vigor (and violence) as possible.
Medved was a little more pragmatic. "We must still be on guard." while The Ancient One had already moved on to a different topic for consideration altogether.
We had returned from the junk yard after my last day on the job for the week and I was just kicking off my work boots when Red swam/wriggled through the air into the living room, floating over my head as he declared "Now that you are free from your obligation of earning wages for the week, Seeker I advise that you learn more about being a Seer."
Tom, who was still standing by the entryway let out a snort, returning the discussion to the events from earlier in the week. "Edward continues to get himself into trouble... just because we are no longer fearing immediate reprisal from Inanna does not mean we should ignore the possibility that he may find himself in danger again. He must learn how to defend himself properly."
I let out a huff. "Relax, Tom... I know how to fight."
He wasn't willing to let the issue go. "You know how to brawl, Nehed... that is not the same. Now that you have time, I will teach you combat."
Treboada took his turn to snort. "Ah dunnae think 'e'll do all that great with a spear an' shield, ye know."
The Rhino's scowl was even deeper than usual. "I am planning to teach him Krav Maga. It will be far more effective."
I'd heard of all different martial arts, and Krav Maga was one of them, but not one I'd ever considered seriously learning-- martial arts in general was never was high on my list of things to do. Even hearing Tom offer it I still wasn't sure it was a priority but I didn't really have a chance to object; Treboada did it for me. "Be ye lookin' t'get the boy inta dangeh, or outta it? Why teach 'im t'fight if 'e'll be safeh runnin?"
True, I knew it was a valid point, but running was not my usual response to a situation. "I don't run, Treboada. I'm not a coward."
The Wolf held up a paw in a calming manner. "An' ah nae be sayin' ye be one, boy-o... but when yeh face off against somethin' more powerful'n ye then ye gotta have options. Valor's great, but ye gotta make sure it dunnae end up gettin' ye killed. Maybe we should be spendin' more time teachin' ye 'ow t'figger out what's worth fightin' an' what's little more'n a quick path t' suicide."
Red interjected before Tom or I could speak up. "Precisely why Edward should learn more about being a Seer. Understanding Spirits will go a long way toward helping him stay safe and comprehending strengths and weaknesses of potential foes will be invaluable, and that is why we will spend his time accordingly."
Medved, who had been silent as he watched the goings-on placed a paw on the counter beside him and struck with his palm; it did the job of getting everyone's attention. "Just because we have not heard from Bellona does not mean we should not be prepared for her. If she is in the area then it is only a matter of time until we run into her again, and we must have a plan of action."
I really didn't like the idea of having some kind of headsman's axe hanging over my head so I chose to face the issue head on. "Listen, Medved... what makes you think this Bello--"
All four Spirits (or six, I guess, since all three versions of The Ancient One sounded like they were trying to talk at once) interrupted me so quickly that, even though they all got lost amidst the chaos of them trying to get in a word, it worked, and I went quiet. Ch'upikaq somehow managed to quiet his 'brothers', and speak once the other Spirits had quieted. "Do not speak her name, Edward... any of them."
Spirit rules weren't exactly my strong point, and their continued appearance without any explanation was starting to grate on me. "Why? Will it summon her if I say it three times fast like Beatlejuice?"
Tom interjected with an answer. "No, Nehed... Spirit names hold power, and, as a Seer, if you speak her name you grant her power."
Medved added "And, to a lesser extent, it draws her attention to you."
Treboada kicked his legs up on the coffee table. "Aye, boy-o... an' right now ye cannae believe that she holds ye in highest esteem... best t' stay quiet an' let th' Morrigan's anger blow out like a bad storm."
The Rhino butted right back in. "But if she comes seeking him then it is up to us to teach him how to defend himself against any Humans she may have influenced."
Red was quick to counter. "He would be best served learning more about Spirits and how to defend himself against Her."
Medved's scowl said just about everything it needed to regarding what he thought of that idea. "He is not strong enough to face her... even with all of us it would be foolish to expect anything but defeat."
The Ancient One was far from willing to give up as Red pressed the issue. "Now, perhaps... but he has the capacity to grow much, much stronger."
Green was in agreement, as his voice came out of Red's muzzle. "And he has me."
Tom wasn't to be outdone. "But, until he is ready to take a stand as a Seer he must still know the basics of self defense, which are faster and easier for a Human to commit to and memorize as an impulsive reaction."
Treboada, who was still sprawled out on the sofa beside me let out a sigh and tilted up a wooden mug of what looked like some kind of amber drink into his muzzle. He wiped the fuzz surrounding his lips clean with the back of his arm before he turned to me and stated quietly "Chances are they'll be at this fer an hour or more, Lad... ye'll 'ave an easier time o' it if ye give em space t'figger out how t'settle their argument over who's right.
I didn't much care for the idea. "I don't really like others determining how I live my life, Treboada... I should have a say in things too."
He shrugged casually and offered a mug of whatever he had to me. "Aye-- no complaints there... but they be more likely t' be listen' t' ye when they ain't talkin'. Ye can let em get it outta th' way with each otheh afore ye step in an' tell 'em 'ow it'll be... but in th' meantime none a this needs t' involve ye. May as well relax a bit... yeah?"
The Wolf had a point, especially since the other three Spirits were obviously more involved with arguing amongst themselves than paying any attention to what I was doing or saying. It gave me the same kind of feeling as when my grandparents went into my high school freshman year and started telling my teachers what classes I needed. Ugh. Looking down at the surprisingly solid mug Treboada had handed to me, I--
Let them work out a plan -- it's their job. He's finished working for the week and should take a moment to relax a bit. Eff'ing A Bubba! :D
Cetacea votes for 1!
As for The Ancient One-- yes, there are possible adult situations with it/them, and yes, such a situation does have the capacity to be quite mind-blowing.
2) -- shook my head and handed it back to him. "No-- this is my life and I'm taking charge of it." I faced off against the other three, raising my voice. "Hey! Shut up! ALL OF YOU!"
3) -- frowned, and set it on the coffee table. I raised my voice, siding with Tom. "I'm a fighter, and I need every advantage I can get."
4) -- frowned, and set it on the coffee table. I raised my voice, siding with The Ancient One. "Red is right. I can't beat something I don't understand. I need to learn more about Spirits."
5) -- frowned, and set it on the coffee table. I raised my voice, siding with Medved. "If she's as dangerous as you all keep making her out to be, maybe we should
focus on how to keep me safe so I can have the TIME to learn all this stuff."
Voting is now open and will close as of midnight on Saturday, November 24th. Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave comments!
..............................
Yack, yack, yack, fuss, and bother. The rest of you can keep talking, while I take the wolf and my stein into the bedroom for a break. Call us when you've got yourselves sorted out.
1 for me too
And is it me or does Edward come across like some US military Veteran sometimes?
Edward was pretty rough-and-tumble in his formative years so he probably considers himself a combat veteran. ;)
Plus, there's the US machismo to take into consideration, so you may not be far off.
So, 2.
-TGU.