Aeon Legion: Labyrinth (24 page)

∞

It was the last day of the
first week. Terra still hadn't earned a single point. A large number
had quit this morning and more would be dusted this evening. Many
fought in the courtyard today, challenging each other to a Trial of
Blades in an attempt to steal one point. Instructors never allowed
refusals. Most didn't bother to challenge rising stars like Hikari
who they knew was no easy target. Instead they looked for easy prey
who had one or two points.

Terra discovered a score board
in the central courtyard with points totals listed for all tirones
including points gained, spent, and lost. Hikari ranked first with
twenty five points. Terra ranked last with one point earned and one
lost for a total of zero.

Terra had hoped the
instructors would be generous given that this was the last day to
earn a point. That hope proved futile. Exercise seemed even more
brutal today as they were forced to swim in freezing water followed
by another four mile run on a glacier. Classes after that forced her
to endure a grueling test on time travel machines. That left
shieldwatch training this evening and Terra still hadn't figured out
how to make the stupid device work.

She was on break now. The
instructors had allowed a break so tirones would have more time to
fight over points. As Terra still hadn't landed a single punch in
sparring, she didn't bother with duels. Instead she used the time to
get away from the Academy for a little while.

She made her way to a small
forested hill and sat down at the base of a tree for some reading. A
light breeze blew around her as she looked across to the Academy.
When Terra relaxed, she heard soft footsteps nearby and turned to see
Alya approaching.

Alya grinned. “Ages, Terra.
Making progress?”

“Yeah. Thanks for the help,
by the way,” Terra said in a sardonic tone as she stood, glaring at
Alya.

“Difficulties?” Alya said,
moving closer. After looking Terra over, Alya nodded approvingly.

“Difficulties? I've failed
every physical test and I've yet to even hit someone in sparring
practice, which by the way, you didn't tell me involved actual pain.
The teachers expect me to know everything before I even step into the
classroom. I've only scored a single point that I lost to a Trial of
Blades! The last day I have to score a point is today or I'll be
dusted!”

“Points? Is that what
they're using now? When I joined the Legion we had no training
program. Our teachers were winds of war and our lessons one of blood
and loss. You are fortunate that you receive actual instruction.”

“Fortunate? I'm about to
fail! I suffered through all this because I thought you saw some kind
of special talent in me or something!” Terra's rant ended in her
panting as the wind gusted around her.

Alya stared expressionless at
Terra for a long moment before laughing. “Talent? You? Crash. The
only talent you have is being a mildly spoiled, only child.”

Terra's fists loosened while
her gaze dropped to the ground. “You mean I have no talent? But you
said that I had something in me that made you choose me as your
squire?”

“Yes. You have a quality I
seek in my squires. However, that part of you is not yet fully
developed. How do diamonds form?”

“Heat and pressure.”

“I am the craftsman and
jeweler, not the miner. Counting seconds for you like a child holds
no interest to me. Time travel mechanics, singularity science,
continua history, these are all dull subjects that are equally dull
to explain. Time is too wondrous a thing to waste on drab technical
terms. I will allow others to do this.”

“What
if I just give up?” Terra said as her brow lowered.
Maybe
that would get a rise out of her?
she
thought.

Alya shrugged. “If the
diamond breaks, then it was no diamond and I misjudged. You won't
quit though. You're too stubborn for that.”

“So will you at least teach
me something so I can get past the first week?”

“Aion no. My lesson would be
wasted. Your connection with time hasn't formed yet, though I suspect
it will soon. I just came by to see your current state. I am quite
satisfied with the results so far.”

Terra sat at the base of the
tree again and put her arms around her knees. “It doesn't matter. I
won't make it past today anyway.”

Alya smiled. “Listen, Terra.
I chose you because you did a brave thing when all the odds were
against you. It's not a unique quality. Many people have courage, but
sometimes even a little courage is worth ten times the amount of raw
talent. So complain if you wish, but you won't gain any sympathy from
me or anyone else in a city that sees all of history's tragedies.
These people have more sorrows than you will ever know. So stop
grumbling, pull yourself together, and push forward. If others mock
you for being weak, then make them regret their words. If you can do
that, then you already have what it takes to join the Legion, points
or no.”

With that, Alya turned and
left. The breeze faded at Alya's passing, leaving Terra alone.

∞

The sun shown past noon as
several groups gathered at a larger salient. It was the last test of
the day and the final test of the week. This was Terra's last chance
to get a point. The other tirones seemed nervous and eager as many
were without a single point. Several centurions watched from the
sidelines though Isra was the one officially in charge.

While Isra debated on which
deathtrap to throw at them today a tiro nudged Terra.

Terra
looked back to a tall tiro dressed in a tunic over his training
uniform. He showed Terra his shieldwatch. It read
1
point
.
“I found something called a backdoor function for the points
system,” he said in a low voice. “You can give yourself points
with it. I'm trying to tell others about it.”

“Isn't that cheating?”
Terra said in a bored tone. She didn't care about points anymore.
Points or no points, she would continue on until they dusted her.
Terra wasn't special. Looking back, she found it ridiculous that she
had ever believed such a thing. That wasn't how things worked for her
and she had forgotten this important, hard learned lesson. The good
things in Terra's life had come to her because she struggled for
them. She could not finesse her way through her problems like Roland
or rely on instinctive skill like Hikari. Terra Mason would face her
obstacles head on with neither apology nor excuses.

“It's fair because Lycus
takes away our points for petty reasons,” he said in a venomous
tone. “Look. All you have to do is change a setting in the
shieldwatch menu. It's under some kind of friend or foe system. Use
it if you wish or you can dust out today. Whichever you prefer.”

He
told the tiro next to Terra the same thing while Terra continued to
stand at attention.
Cheat?
she wondered. She could. It looked easy enough to do. Still, she
didn't see the point and didn't care anymore. Terra closed her eyes,
discarding all thoughts of points. Right now, there was only the next
obstacle in her path and she would hold nothing back to overcome it.

Centurion Isra decided. A ring
formed, moving downward over the salient. As it descended, it formed
a sheer cliff face that towered over them. Wind swept around it in
powerful gusts that flung dust and dirt up the sides. She heard a
collective groan from the tirones.

“I thought they would go
easy on us today,” someone said from behind Terra.

“Well I'm done,” another
said.

Terra studied cliff. Tall and
imposing, the wind would make any ascent dangerous without proper
climbing gear. The dust filled wind blew into her eyes and stung her
skin. It was hard standing in the open much less trying to climb.

Isra turned to the tirones.
“There is a trick to scaling this cliff the easy way. Most of you
are unlikely to discover this secret though. First one up gets a
point and the rest of the day off. Go!”

The tirones scrambled to the
base while Terra regarded the cliff.

From what Terra remembered of
rock climbing, this seemed to be an advanced course. There was no
safety gear meaning they must rely on the shieldwatch to Restore
themselves should any suffer injuries from falls. Terra knew even an
experienced climber would find this course difficult. Weeks ago,
Terra would have never stood a chance, but she was stronger now after
several days of accelerated exercise. Although Terra felt uncertain
if her strength and energy would be enough for this climb, she had
experience with rock climbing.

As the other tirones began
their climb up the cliff, Terra stood in place and memorized the
cliff face. She spotted a path that provided good holds and chiseled
that path into her memory before approaching. Several were already
halfway up. Hikari had climbed the highest. Terra put them all out of
her mind and made her first step.

She took her steps one at a
time and found each foothold with care. After climbing a few paces,
she heard a scream. Terra looked over her shoulder to see someone
laying on the ground. A Restore ring ran around them before an optio
helped move them off to the side.

“One chance I guess,”
Terra said before turning her attention back to the climb.

She continued up the cliff
face. Another tiro nearby slipped and fell, screaming when a powerful
gust of wind swept over him. Terra calmed herself and refocused.

She found an outcropping and
lifted herself up to rest for a moment. Terra knew if she pushed
herself too hard or fast she would fall. After resting, Terra felt
around for another good hold when someone climbed down near her.
“Roland?”

Roland looked at Terra. “Oh
it's you. Yes I am giving up this trial. Too much trouble. There is a
way to use a shieldwatch to get up this cliff with ease, but I don't
know what it is.”

“Then why don't you just
cheat and give yourself a point?”

Roland rolled his eyes.
“Please. That is a transparent ploy by the centurions. I'll cheat,
but even I know when something appears too easy.”

Terra ignored Roland and
instead climbed higher. She didn't have time to worry about a jerk
like him. She grew warm from the heat of the sun combined with her
exertion. Terra kept her hands dry though. The wind whipped around
her and Terra paused to strengthen her grip. When the wind stilled,
she pressed on, following her memorized path as her fatigue grew.

Hikari slid down a few paces
away.

Terra glanced to Hikari.
Hikari's face was covered in grime with sweat making trails in the
smears. She gasped for breath while her hands quivered from fatigue.

Terra shook her head. Hikari
had pushed herself too fast. But when Terra climbed further, Hikari
gritted her teeth and glared at Terra before racing ahead. Still
Terra pushed onward while ignoring Hikari. The holds became more
difficult with each ascent. She now sweated and her muscles ached.
Terra slipped and caught herself before falling.

While hanging onto a boulder,
Terra considered letting go. It would hurt, but the shieldwatch would
Restore her and then she could go home. No more Lycus, daily
deathtraps, or constant sparring matches. It would be so much easier.

Terra grimaced. She dug her
hands into the stone of the cliff and pulled. After coming this far,
she would force herself to make it. She would hold nothing back.
Grabbing again, Terra pulled.

Her fingers slipped. Terra
dangled by one hand. She felt her remaining grip loosen. Her heart
pounded, but Terra forced herself calm. She tried to get a better
hold, but the ledge here was too narrow. She couldn't hold much
longer.

Just as her grip weakened, she
felt a strange sensation. Terra found it difficult to describe. It
was as though she had another sense. For a single instant, she could
feel the flow of a force pulling her downward. Almost by instinct,
Terra reached out and slowed that flow. When she did, she felt
herself lighten. Terra seized the moment and pulled herself upward.
After she found a better grip, the strange sense faded and Terra
continued onward.

Moments later she passed
Hikari again. Hikari glared at Terra before trying to race ahead
again. This time Hikari slid back again when a powerful wind battered
the cliff. Terra continued onward, leaving Hikari behind.

Still
Terra climbed. Grip after grip. Her muscles screamed in pain and her
breathing reached a frantic pace. Sweaty palms covered in dirt made
her holds more difficult.
One
more step,
Terra thought.
Just
a little further.

Terra gripped the next ledge.
The wind roared around her, engulfing her in dust and sand. She
didn't look up, dreading to witness how much further she still had to
climb. With her hands gripping the ledge, she pulled, knowing this
might be her last step as she neared her limit.