A Banner Torn (Book 1 Complete)

Kaelid:

The morning mist clung to the forest floor as Marta attempted another dodge, her movements still clumsy compared to the fluid grace Kaelid and Rannek had developed over months of practice. She stumbled slightly as she tried to anticipate Brannic's next move, earning a gentle rumble of amusement from the dragonkin blacksmith.

"Movement is about reading intention, not just reacting to action," Brannic said, his scaled hand gesturing toward her stance. "You're watching my weapon when you should be watching my shoulders, my weight distribution."

Marta wiped sweat from her forehead and nodded, determination bright in her eyes. It had been three months since the boys' return from the capital, and she had finally convinced Brannic to include her in their training sessions. The dragonkin had been reluctant at first, but her persistence and the boys' advocacy had eventually worn down his resistance.

"Like this?" she asked, adjusting her position and focusing on Brannic's center of mass rather than the practice sword in his hand.

"Better," Brannic acknowledged. "Now, when I move, don't think about where I'm going. Feel where I'm going."

Kaelid watched from the edge of the clearing, marveling at how much he and Rannek had progressed. What had once seemed impossibly difficult now felt natural, almost instinctive. The core shards within them pulsed gently, enhancing their perception and reflexes in ways that made Brannic's lessons feel like a dance they had always known.

She learns quickly, came Curio's voice into the clearing minds. The slime rested in its pool, observing the training with interest. Her energy patterns are different from yours, but compatible. There is potential there.

"What kind of potential?" Rannek asked quietly, settling beside Kaelid on a fallen log.

I am not certain. She lacks the direct enhancement you possess, but there is something... adaptive about her consciousness. As if it naturally seeks to understand and integrate new patterns.

Marta managed a successful dodge, flowing around Brannic's strike with surprising grace. Her face lit up with triumph, and she turned to the boys with a grin that was equal parts pride and exhaustion.

"Did you see that? I actually felt it before he moved!"

"You're getting it," Kaelid said, genuinely impressed. "It took us weeks to manage that consistently."

"Months," Rannek corrected with a laugh. "Remember how many times curio knocked us flat before we figured it out?"

Curio's amused voice flowed around the clearing. "You have both grown considerably since those early days. Observing Marta learn as well has shown me how far you've come."

The observation carried weight beyond simple praise. Kaelid realized that by helping Marta learn, they were also demonstrating their own development in ways that might not have been obvious otherwise. They had internalized lessons that once required conscious effort, and their enhanced abilities had become so natural they barely noticed using them anymore.

"Again," Marta said, raising her practice sword with renewed determination. "I want to try that sequence where you come from three different angles."

As the training continued, Kaelid found himself studying Marta with his enhanced perception. There was something different about her energy patterns, something that seemed to resonate with their own abilities in subtle ways. She couldn't see in the dark or project status displays, but she had an intuitive understanding of movement and intention that went beyond normal human capability.

The sound of approaching hoofbeats interrupted his observations. Through the trees, he could see a formal carriage making its way along the village road, its wheels raising small clouds of dust in the morning air.

"Looks like we have visitors," Rannek said, his enhanced hearing picking up the details of the approaching vehicle.

Brannic's head turned toward the sound, his nostrils flaring slightly as he tested the air. "Multiple passengers. One carries the scent of old books and ink. Another... metal and leather, with an undertone of controlled violence."

"The Collegium representatives," Kaelid realized, feeling a flutter of nervousness in his stomach. They had been expecting this visit for weeks, but the reality of it still felt overwhelming.

"Should we go see?" Marta asked, lowering her practice sword.

"We should," Brannic agreed. "This concerns all of you now."

They made their way back through the forest, emerging near the village square just as the carriage rolled to a stop. A small crowd of curious villagers had already gathered, their expressions mixing hope and apprehension in equal measure.

Magistra Elara stepped down from the carriage first, her Collegium robes pristine despite the journey. She moved with the same composed dignity Kaelid remembered from the capital, but there was something different in her bearing now, a sense of urgency that hadn't been present during their first meeting.

The second passenger was younger than Kaelid had expected, perhaps in his early twenties, with the pale complexion of someone who spent most of his time indoors with books. He carried a leather satchel that bulged with scrolls and notebooks, and his eyes darted nervously around the village square as if cataloging every detail.

The third figure to emerge was clearly a soldier, though he wore no obvious uniform. He was perhaps forty years old, with graying hair and the kind of alert, watchful expression that spoke of long experience with danger. There was something about him that reminded Kaelid of Uncle Doran, a sense of controlled readiness that never quite relaxed.

"Kaelid, Rannek," Magistra Elara called out, spotting them in the crowd. "Please, come forward. I'd like you to meet your new tutor."

The young man with the satchel stepped forward, offering a nervous smile. "I'm Theron Ashwick, recently graduated from the Collegium's Academy of Consciousness Studies. I'll be overseeing your education for the foreseeable future."

"And I'm Sergeant Kael Ironwood," the older man added, his voice carrying the crisp authority of military training. "I'll be providing security and... additional perspective on your development."

Kaelid exchanged glances with Rannek, both of them picking up on the careful phrasing. Additional perspective suggested that Sergeant Kael's role went beyond simple protection.

"The Collegium sends its regards and its best," Magistra Elara said, addressing the gathered villagers as much as the boys. "We understand the concerns about outside attention, but I assure you that our presence here is meant to protect and nurture, not to exploit."

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Elder Myra stepped forward from the crowd, her expression carefully neutral. "You're welcome in Aldermere, of course. We've prepared quarters for you at the inn, and arrangements have been made for lessons to take place in my cottage."

"That's very generous," Theron said, adjusting his satchel nervously. "I'm looking forward to beginning our work. The reports from the capital were... quite remarkable."

The way he said 'remarkable' carried undertones that made Kaelid's core shard pulse with unease. There was something in Theron's expression that suggested the reports had been more than just impressive, they had been concerning.

As the crowd began to disperse and arrangements were made for the visitors' luggage, Kaelid found himself studying the newcomers more carefully. Theron seemed genuinely enthusiastic about his role as tutor, but there was an underlying tension in his manner that suggested he was dealing with information that troubled him. Sergeant Kael, meanwhile, maintained the professional demeanor of a career soldier, but his eyes never stopped moving, constantly assessing potential threats and escape routes.

"When would you like to begin?" Rannek asked as they walked toward Elder Myra's cottage.

"This evening, if you're amenable," Theron replied. "I'd like to establish a baseline understanding of your current capabilities before we proceed with formal instruction."

"What kind of baseline?" Marta asked, falling into step beside them.

Theron glanced at her with surprise. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've been introduced."

"Marta Brennan," she said with a slight curtsy. "I've been... involved in their training recently."

"Ah." Theron's expression grew thoughtful. "The baker's daughter. Yes, I believe you were mentioned in some of the reports. Your inclusion in their education might be... beneficial."

The careful way he phrased everything was beginning to grate on Kaelid's nerves. It felt like every statement carried hidden meanings and unspoken concerns.

That evening, they gathered in Elder Myra's cottage for the first formal lesson. The main room had been rearranged to accommodate the group, with chairs arranged in a circle around a low table where Theron had spread out various books and instruments.

"Before we begin with practical exercises," Theron said, opening one of his notebooks, "I'd like to discuss the theoretical foundations of consciousness enhancement. Understanding the principles behind your abilities will help you develop them more safely and effectively."

He launched into an explanation of consciousness theory that was far more detailed than anything they had encountered before. He spoke of awareness as a measurable phenomenon, of the ways enhanced individuals could interface with reality on levels beyond normal human perception, and of the careful balance required to maintain both power and sanity.

"The key principle," he said, gesturing to a diagram he had drawn on a piece of parchment, "is that consciousness enhancement is not simply about gaining new abilities. It's about expanding your fundamental relationship with reality itself. This expansion must be gradual and carefully controlled, or the results can be... problematic."

"What kind of problematic?" Kaelid asked.

"Loss of identity, inability to distinguish between enhanced perception and hallucination, complete disconnection from normal human experience," Theron replied matter-of-factly. "The Praxis approach tends to prioritize rapid development over stability, which is why their enhanced agents often display emotional dysfunction and reduced empathy."

The casual mention of Praxis agents made everyone in the room tense slightly. It was the first direct acknowledgment of what they had all been thinking about since the boys' return from the capital.

"Now then," Theron continued, apparently oblivious to the reaction his words had caused, "I'd like to see a demonstration of your current capabilities. I understand you've developed some form of visual interface for monitoring your enhancement status?"

Kaelid and Rannek exchanged glances. They had discussed this moment extensively, deciding how much to reveal about their abilities without mentioning Curio or Lexicon.

"We can create basic status displays," Kaelid said carefully. "They show our energy levels and some information about our abilities."

"Fascinating. Please, proceed."

Kaelid closed his eyes and concentrated, feeling the familiar tingle as his core shard responded to his will. The status display materialized in the air before him, translucent and wavering but visible to him. The others in the room only saw him concentrate then relax.

The needle on Theron's detection device wavered slightly but then settled back to neutral. Kaelid spoke after settling himself "It's up now." Seeing the expectant look from Theron still, he realized only he could see the display. So he reached out his hand for Theron. When he took his hand Kaelid tried focusing on trying to show Theron as well even though he didn't have a core shard, Kaelid tried to focus on what he wanted.

He felt Lex stir slightly in the satchel next to him, and discreetly touched him with a supporting pseudopod. The display wavered as he felt Lex helping translate it for Theron's eyes. And there was a gasp as it appeared in front of the tutor as well.

Theron's reaction was immediate and dramatic. His eyes widened, and he leaned forward in his chair, studying the projection with intense focus. "Remarkable," he breathed. "The clarity, the detail... this level of integration should take years to develop." Kaelid nodded straining slightly as maintaining the projection.

Rannek grabbed Kaelid's hand and activated his own display, and Theron's amazement only increased. He pulled out a small crystalline device and began taking measurements, muttering to himself as he worked. Able to see them as long as he had contact with the two boys. Their strain less as they shared the load of projecting to Theron through his touch.

"The energy patterns are completely stable," he said, more to himself than to the others. "No fluctuation, no distortion... it's as if the enhancement has been part of their consciousness from birth."

"Is that unusual?" Marta asked.

"Unusual?" Theron looked up from his device with an expression of barely controlled excitement. "My dear girl, this is unprecedented. Most enhanced individuals require months of training just to achieve basic internal awareness of their abilities. Creating external projections like this typically requires years of study and practice."

He turned back to the boys, his expression growing more serious. "How long have you been able to do this?"

"A few weeks," Rannek admitted. "It started as just being able to sense our own energy levels, then gradually developed into these displays."

"A few weeks," Theron repeated faintly. "Dear gods, what have you been doing to develop so quickly?"

Kaelid felt the core shard pulse with warning. They were treading into dangerous territory, approaching questions they couldn't answer without revealing secrets that needed to remain hidden.

"We've been practicing together," he said carefully. "Experimenting with what we can do, trying to understand our abilities better."

"Practicing together," Theron murmured, making notes in his book. "Yes, that might explain some of the synchronization I'm seeing in your energy patterns. Shared development, mutual reinforcement..."

He continued taking measurements and making observations for another hour, his excitement growing with each new discovery. By the time the lesson ended, his notebook was filled with diagrams and calculations, and his expression had shifted from amazement to something approaching concern.

After the boys and Marta had left for the evening, Theron remained in Elder Myra's cottage with Magistra Elara and the village elder herself. The three adults sat in thoughtful silence for several minutes before Theron finally spoke.

"Their development patterns don't match any Collegium records," he said quietly. "The rate of advancement, the stability of their abilities, the sophistication of their consciousness interfaces... it's all completely outside the normal parameters for enhanced individuals."

"What does that mean?" Elder Myra asked.

"I'm not certain," Theron admitted. "But if their enhancement is this unprecedented, others will have noticed too. The kind of rapid development they're displaying would be impossible to hide from anyone with the proper scanning equipment."

Magistra Elara leaned forward in her chair, her expression grave. "Are you saying they're in more danger than we thought?"

"I'm saying that if their abilities continue to develop at this rate, they'll become the most valuable enhanced individuals in the known world," Theron replied. "And that kind of value attracts attention from people who don't share our commitment to their wellbeing."

He closed his notebook and looked directly at Elder Myra. "We need to accelerate their training, but we also need to be prepared for the possibility that others will try to claim them before we can properly protect them."

Outside the cottage, the village of Aldermere settled into its evening routine, unaware that the arrival of the Collegium representatives had marked the beginning of a new and more dangerous phase in the boys' development. In the forest beyond the village, Curio rested in its pool, sensing the subtle changes in the boys' energy patterns and wondering what new challenges the morning would bring.

The game that had noticed them in the capital was about to make its next move, and this time, it would be played on their home ground.