Aeon Legion: Labyrinth (64 page)

Prometheus nodded. “It is
best we keep this secret for now.”

Nona nodded. “I am not sure
why you had us reforge this, Founder, but it is done. We had to wipe
away a lot of dirt and stone stuck in the old blackened steel. We
purified it. The new metal is now virgin pearl Saturn City steel. I
do wonder why we cannot see the fate of this reforged blade,
especially considering its origin.”

“Thank you Nona,”
Prometheus said as he took the silk covered item from the Sybil. He
unwrapped it to reveal an aeon edge. “You cannot see the fate of
this blade because fate will not deliver it to its new owner. This is
a blade of choice, not one fit for a Qadar. Right now, we don't need
a hero of fate. We need one of choice. You are dismissed.”

Nona bowed before retreating.
Prometheus then approached and presented the blade, grip first, to
Terra.

Terra's breath caught when she
saw the aeon edge. It was pearl white and shimmered more than any
aeon edge she had seen earned that day. This aeon edge's design was
made of solid unmarked steel. Although shorter than Roland's by a
span, it had the same pointed tip. The plain design made Terra think
that it suited her, but what really held her awe was that the design
itself was familiar to her. This was Kairos's old blade reforged.

Prometheus and Alya looked to
Terra as she stood, hesitant. Terra reached slowly towards the aeon
edge. It was in this moment that Terra faced her true test. The aeon
edge in front of her was her greatest achievement, but taking it
would be the first step on a path from which she could not return.
For a moment she considered not taking it as her hand shied away from
the grip. She knew that taking that sword was the first step towards
Kairos. She may have to take a life with this weapon.

Terra closed her eyes before
grabbing the aeon edge. Her hands wrapped around the pearl steel grip
as the cold of the metal sank into her hand. As she lifted the blade,
Terra opened her eyes. The blade felt like a feather between her
fingers, not at all like the clunky training blades. It was perfect.

“Tiro Terra Mason!”
Prometheus said in a deep, powerful voice.

Terra stood at attention while
noting just how commanding Prometheus could be.

“You are hereby promoted to
the rank of legionnaire!” He said before saluting Terra. “Welcome
to the Aeon Legion, Legionnaire Terra Mason!”

∞

A reception soon followed the
graduation ceremony. A lot of the officers from various cohorts were
there, talking to the graduates. Hikari had a small mob around her.
The mob cleared out when Legionaries from the Second Cohort appeared
and talked to Hikari alone.

The officers ignored Terra
since she assumed they looked at performance records during training.
When someone approached, Terra found herself caught off guard. She
relaxed when she saw Captain Chih.

Chih returned Terra's salute.
“Legionnaire Terra Mason. I am pleased to see you made it.”

Terra lowered her salute.

“Tell me,” Chih said with
a smile, “what are your plans now?”

“I guess I will spend a year
with the legionnaire who made me a squire. I think that is how it
works right?”

Chih's smile lessened. “I
see. Is this what you want?”

“Would it matter? I was told
that a legionnaire who takes a squire has the right to train them for
one year.”

“That is their right yes,
but I could request a transfer. If they proved unreasonable, then I
could challenge them to a Trial of Blades. If you wished, I could
arrange to train you for a year as my squire.”

Terra grinned. “No offense,
but I don't think that will work. Besides, she's the first person who
ever had any faith in me and she gave me an opportunity to better
myself. I feel like I owe her for that.”

Chih nodded. “I understand,”
he said before touching a holoface.

Terra's shieldwatch beeped.

Chih smiled again. “You have
my contact information should you change your mind. The Seventh
Cohort could always use someone with your determination. I couldn't
live with myself if I let talent like yours slip through without at
least trying to convince you to join us. Especially with our upcoming
mission.”

“Mission?”

Chih expression turned solemn.
“Now that Lycus Cerberus has been slain, well... The Seventh Cohort
tracks rogue legionnaires.”

“Oh.”

Chih sighed. “Our quarry has
the skills equal to a Legendary Blade. I do not look forward to this
mission. I think we can stop her, whoever she is, but I doubt we can
accomplish it without casualties.”

“Maybe the other Legendary
Blades will help?”

Chih grimaced. “They are
powerful individuals, but they can be... difficult to work with. How
would your culture put it? Loose cannons? Regardless, give my offer
thought. Sometimes we must go where we are needed rather than where
we wish.”

As Chih walked away, Terra
heard several people laughing nearby. She glanced to see Roland in
the center of a small group. She narrowed her gaze at Roland who was
now talking with several officers.

“Which is how we narrowly
escaped the Manticore,” Roland said, finishing his likely fictional
story.

“I didn't know they were
still using that old monster. I thought they replaced it?” an
officer said.

“Not a bad account of the
battle,” another said. “The Fifth Cohort could use someone with
your skill set. Facing a Manticore isn't easy.”

Terra rolled her eyes as she
walked over to Roland.

Roland nodded. “Yes. Well I
have everyone's contact information. I will let you know if I have
other questions.”

The officers walked away,
smiling. Terra watched them go while scowling. Once they left she
turned to Roland. “So this is it? Right back to the same thing as
before?”

Roland smiled and leaned in
closer. “Not quite. Now the wager is higher, but the goal is still
the same. With my immortality temporarily secured, I now work towards
obtaining an easy post, like a garrison or something else simple.
Something far away from that legionnaire in black.”

Terra put her hands on her
hips and glared at Roland while trying her best to keep her temper in
check. “Really? All that work.”

“Exactly. All that work so I
can be lazy. Did you really think I would risk my immortality after
finally earning it?”

Terra sighed. “I suppose
not. It's just that, for a moment, I thought you were a hero rather
than just playing the part of one.”

“Nonsense. I don't trust
these people. Why would I risk everything for them? All this is a
simple exchange of services, nothing more. I fight for them and they
give me immortality.”

“So what now? Are you going
to join the easiest cohort you can find?”

“With haste. One that is
safe and on a fair weathered coastline with a lovely view of the
ocean.”

“What about the legionnaire
that made you a squire? Don't they get a year to train you first?”

Roland grinned. “Oh him? I
doubt he will ev–”

“There you are!” came a
loud voice from behind Roland. A short stocky man with a bald head
grabbed the much taller Roland by the collar. “Let's go. Time to
start your real training.”

“What?” Roland yelled as
the man dragged him.

“Stop flirting,” he said
while tugging Roland behind him. “No silver tongue is going to get
you out of the year the Legion promised me, I can assure you that!”

Terra chuckled while watching
Roland be dragged away. She thought she might miss him a little.
Despite his ability to get under her skin, Terra found Roland to be
one of the few who would engage with her. In a way, she knew him
better than most did. She could see both parts of him, the knave and
knight.

Terra was so lost in thought
she was taken aback when she turned to find Hikari glaring at her.
Hikari pointed at Terra. “Do not think that just because the
training is over that our contest is done.”

“Oh no. I wouldn't think
that. After all, who would you insult then?”

“I am ahead. I had officers
from every cohort try to convince me to squire under them. You had
one.”

Terra grinned. “Yeah, but I
didn't insult the one who approached me.”

“I didn't insult them. Not
all of them. However, I am squiring under a legionnaire who was
trained by a Legendary Blade.”

Terra thought about telling
Hikari that she will squire for a Legendary Blade, but instead just
smirked.

Hikari narrowed her eyes at
Terra. “You have something else planned don't you?”

Terra continued to smile.

Hikari turned to go. She took
a few steps before stopping to cast a sidelong look at Terra. “It
was... fun competing with you. I hope we compete again.”

Terra watched Hikari go before
shaking her head. “What a bother,” Terra said, voicing her
irritation at this so called competition while her smile said
otherwise.

As Hikari left, Terra saw
another familiar face nearby. Delphia moved through the crowd,
drawing the eyes of the male graduates. Another man stood near her,
likely her latest boyfriend.

“Delphia!” Terra said,
walking over to greet her. “It feels like it has been forever since
I've seen you.”

Delphia stared at Terra for a
long moment. Then she smiled before turning to dismiss her current
boyfriend. She then walked over to Terra. “Terra,” she said in
her usual airy tone. “I see the Legion's regimen has caused
numerous alterations to your demeanor and stature. Your
transformation is such that it has exceeded my memory by a high
degree.”

Terra raised an eyebrow. “I
have no idea what you just said, but it's nice to see you too.”

Delphia smiled again and
embraced Terra. Terra had gotten used to Delphia's complete ignorance
of the concept of personal space during her time at Delphia's home.
But Terra had forgotten about it during her training at the Academy.

“I have missed you,”
Delphia said after a long embrace.

“Really?”

Delphia nodded. “I always
feel like I can be honest with you. It is rather strange. I like you
even more now. You have a lot more confidence. I am rather envious of
you.”

“Why would you be envious of
me?”

“You refuse to let anyone
tell you who you are. People adore me because I am like a star.
Beautiful, but distant and sculpted by people's imaginations rather
than what is actually there. Others look past you, but you always
force them to acknowledge you through actions. I wish I could be as
determined as you sometimes.”

Terra felt her face grow warm.
“Thanks. I wish I could compliment others like you,” was all
Terra could say.

“I was always certain you
would pass. I assume you are returning to your home time for your
leave?”

Terra nodded.

Delphia's expression became
distant. “Mother wishes you well and says that her invitation to
stay at her home is still open upon your return. However, I myself
have a surrogate offer. My second semester at the Academy begins
within a few months. Since you are part of the Legion, you will
receive time which you can use to acquire a place of residence.
Should we combine our resources, we may both be able to obtain a
domicile of superior quality above what we could individually
manage.”

“So... roommates? I guess I
don't see why not. We got along well at your mom's house. I'll let
you know when I get back.”

Delphia smiled and began
telling Terra about her semester in astronomy. Terra listened, but
another man nearby drew her attention. She glanced to see a man in
gray armor similar to Legion design. Instead of the Legion's golden
infinity symbol, he had a silver crescent moon emblem on his upper
arm. He stared right at Terra with a critical expression. She almost
thought he would come over and talk to her, but instead he touched
his shieldwatch's holoface before leaving. After a moment, Terra
dismissed the event. It probably didn't have anything to do with her.