[Semi-Open] Knight Cadet Arc: Extended Edition

[windegarde]

Asbel couldn't help but feel a little jittery, even as he did his best to keep a soldierly pace. How far would it set him back if he screwed up this assignment? What if the captain decided he'd made a mistake - that Asbel wasn't as prepared for knighthood as he'd believed previously? And just how was he being evaluated exactly?

Asbel straightened his posture, suddenly fearful that he could be tested on any number of things. Maybe the captain would deduct points if he spoke out of turn, or maybe he was expected to show he was fully involved by asking lots of questions. The captain might even throw something totally unexpected his way! He sure hoped he'd be ready for it...

Of course, he'd yet to be briefed. They'd been walking for a good half hour or so, and he still wasn't sure how best to prepare himself. Should he ask?

"Captain Malik?" Asbel turned to address his instructor. "I'd like to request details about this field mission, sir. If that's allowed."

((**I say "semi-open" because anyone is welcome to start time-skip prompts here, or you can just throw someone at me and I'll reply with a different prompt.**))

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[flash_cavalier]

Malik watched his student with a critical eye. In the seven years that Asbel had been at the academy, he'd gone from a cocky, obnoxious Lord's son to a fine soldier. If he could just learn to not rely so much on other people's opinions, he would prove to the other instructors that he was ready to graduate and become a full-fledged knight.

As far as the new mission went, well, Malik guessed that it was okay to share some details.

"I can give you a few details, but what I can tell you, you won't like.

"We've been dispatched to put down a rebellion. In Lhant."

[windegarde]

"...What?" The word hardly rose above a whisper, but suddenly Asbel's limbs felt as though they'd been strapped with lead weights. His steps faltered.

It would've been one thing to tell him they were being sent to Lhant, but a rebellion? How had he not known? The gears inside Asbel's head turned in a slow, desperate cycle. And then he understood. There was no way he could have known. Even if someone had sent word, he hadn't been back at the Academy for long, and he hadn't even bothered to check his mail. He rarely ever received any, and he'd had no reason to think he should have now.

He hadn't returned to Lhant in seven years, hadn't spoken to anyone from home. But that seemed to mean nothing now. Was everyone all right? What about his parents, Frederic, Cheria...?!

"A rebellion? Then, then we should hurry!"

[flash_cavalier]

As hard as it was to deliver the news, it was harder still to see Asbel receive it. When the orders had appeared on his desk, he'd had to look at it twice before saying that he and Asbel would take care of it.

"I only heard that the lord's house has been overrun by the civilians and they're refusing to discuss terms with anyone. It's by sheer luck that I was allowed to even bring you along. The king requested a full squadron to go out and take them down."

He put a heavy hand on his student's shoulder to steady him.

"I need to know now that you're prepared for the worse and can handle yourself accordingly despite any tragedy that might have occurred." He let his voice toughen a bit. "Otherwise, I'll go get some knights that have already done so to take care of the situation and recommend another situation for your final test."

[windegarde]

It was hard to imagine a rebellion in the peaceful hometown he remembered.

Though Asbel didn't flench away from the touch, it also wasn't making the gravity of the situation any easier to bear. He knew that the Captain must've pulled a few strings along the way to let him - a mere cadet - participate in such a task, one which could easily turn ugly. From Captain Malik's account, that seemed like a very real possibility that may have already come to pass.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if he was really ready, but he couldn't stand the thought of someone else going in his place. Lhant was still his home, after all, despite the manner in which he left it. And it was in no small way his responsibility to see this through. Even if it meant facing the past - and his father.

Besides, if he failed, that only meant things would become even more of a mess. An entire squadron... They'd use force if they had to, and despite having no doubt they could get things under control, Asbel wanted to try. Had to. There just had to be a way to settle things without resorting to more violence.

After what seemed like ages, Asbel drew his heels sharply together, straightened his back and brought an arm to his chest in a salute.

"I understand, Captain. I'm prepared to do what I must in order to restore peace to Lhant." He tried to keep his voice and breath steady as the words left his mouth, his expression firm.

"So, please, allow me to participate in this mission. I won't fail."

[flash_cavalier]

Malik took a deep breath and nodded when Asbel gave his answer. He knew that his student had it in him to really take care of this situation, considering the meddle he'd shown in the many years at the Academy. And, to be honest, as the son of the lord, he felt that it was Asbel's right to be the one to take care of this, whether he and his father got along or not.

It had also helped that Prince Richard stepped in on Asbel's side with the king and Archduke Cedric.

"I'm glad to hear it, Asbel. You have an hour to gather any resources you need. Meet me by the Southern Gate. We'll be taking the land route for this, since travelling to Lhant by boat has been restricted. I've sent word ahead to Duke Dalen that we will be coming through Gralesyde so he can open the borders for us."

He saluted his student and gave him a fond smile.

"You're dismissed until then."

[windegarde]

"Yes sir!"

Asbel wasted no time. With a determined answering salute to his instructor, Asbel turned and hurried towards his room to retrieve the items he would need for the trip. A portion of the main academy building had been devoted to the housing of its students. Asbel navigated them easily, taking a few moments to wave at faces he recognized, but never allowing himself to be deterred from his goal.

Once inside, the would-be knight cast around for a pack that'd be easy to manage, and began filling it with necessities. Gone were his tendencies to let his things litter the floor or pile up haphazardly. Compared to his room in Lhant, the one in Barona was neat and tidy.

'Lhant... Captain Malik mentioned something about the port being closed as well. Have I really been so focused on my training all this time that I've completely lost touch with the world?'

Asbel sighed, continuing his work to stave off the darker thoughts that threatened to catch up with him. The whole process took him under thirty minutes. Determined to travel as light as possible, into the pack went a change of clothes, a collection of gels, his eleth mixer... aside from a few other items, that was really all he needed. His sword and scabbard were already equipped.

Prepared to head out already, Asbel found that he still had half the allotted time left. Should he make use of it? And how? In the end, Asbel decided that it'd be best not to travel on an empty stomach and ducked quickly into the mess hall for a bowl of re-heated noodles (it wasn't meal time).

With fifteen minutes to spare, Asbel jogged up to the Southern gate.

[flash_cavalier]

Malik had packed when he'd received the orders. There was no way that he, a somewhat unknown entity even after his many years of fine service to his king, was going to be able to stay in the capital of Windor while one of the major holds was taken over by ruffians. Or, at least that was how Archduke Cedric had said it when the king and Prince Richard were out of earshot.

If he was to prove his loyalty to his new homeland, he had to do this. He was sure that Cedric thought that he and Asbel were going off to die and that he'd then be able to send his own faction of the Knights to Lhant to put everyone down, but he was determined to prove to that weasel that he had earned his title, despite what he thought.

He looked up when he saw the redhead headed his way and watched him approach. Asbel was a fine soldier—disciplined, eager to learn new things, willing to listen to commands, loyal, and not prone to panicking—everything that Malik could want in someone following him. But he was still young and inexperienced. If something happened to the boy, Malik was pretty sure he'd never forgive himself. Just like that time. However, letting the past dictate how he handled things now would be pure foolishness. So, instead, he shook his head and hefted his pack onto his shoulder with the practiced movement of someone used to traveling.

"It's good to see that you're prompt. And that you know the importance of packing light." He turned towards the road, ready to get this over with as quickly and efficiently as possible. "Have you ever been to Duke Dalen's lands?"

[windegarde]

His eyes widened slightly. Such words could definitely be considered praise coming from the Captain, but Asbel wouldn't let them go to his head. He'd just have to keep them in mind the next time he was called to a mission on such short notice.

Assuming there would even be a next time.

No, he couldn't think like that! He had to find a way to succeed. There were too many people and too much at stake to consider failure.

Asbel readjusted the bag over his shoulder, straight-backed and alert.

"No sir. When I was younger, the surrounding roads were always carefully guarded. Major Victoria once held a training session close to that area, but I've never actually traveled through Gralesyde before."

Though he said as much, it didn't escape Asbel's memory that once he'd been grounded while his mother and Hubert had gone to the Annual Lake Grale festival. Sometimes he really wasn't sure how he'd gotten into so much trouble as a kid.

So, all truth be told, he didn't know too much about the place or the man in charge there. But he did recall something he'd heard from his studies.

"Duke Dalen is a distant relative to King Ferdinand, right?"

[flash_cavalier]

"Well then, this should be a treat for you. Going the land route means that we'll be traveling and staying in Gralesyde for one evening. Duke Dalen will give us a briefing while we're there."

He took one long, hard look at his student before speaking again. Nothing about this was going to be easy.

"If you stayed here in the capital, no one would think any less of you, Asbel. Rebellion is never a pretty thing and there are loses that you might not be willing to pay ahead."

His voice was calm, steady, emotionless. Lorelia and Kurt would stay in the past, in Fendel, where they belonged. But if he could spare that sort of heartache for the boy standing next to him, Malik would damn well try.

"And yes, Dalen is King Ferdinand's second cousin and Prince Richard's godfather."

[windegarde]

Duke Dalen and Richard must have been relatively close in that case, right? Or at least on good terms. That was the conclusion he had drawn.

"Understood, sir." Any other time Asbel would have been pretty excited about staying in Gralesyde, but with the recent news...well, he just wanted to get to Lhant as quickly as possible. An evening in Gralesyde would likely be a sleepless one.

Emotion flickered across Asbel's face - not that he was ever all that difficult to read. Unlike Captain Malik whom Asbel was having trouble figuring out just now. He could often be serious but, his instructor seemed kind of distant?

"Captain..."

A few seconds later, Asbel shook his head with a firm expression, clenching his fist in front of him.

"Thank you, but I've already made up my mind. I may not be able to predict the outcome of this mission, but I have to at least try. That's why I enlisted in the Knight Academy, after all. As long as I have the power to stop it, I'm not going to lose anyone else important to me again.

"Besides, I'd like to help you, too, sir. If the town's in a state of unrest, then it's possible the gates have been closed off to travelers. I can find a way to get us inside."