Fulcrum of Light (Catalyst Book 2) C.J. Aaron (unputdownable books .TXT) 📖

caught his breath. The four Vigil that had served as his additional sparring partners bent at their waists, hands on their knees, chests heaving to catch their breath.

“We have to release our young friend here to training of his own,” Andr joked before turning to the rest of the Vigil assembled in the outdoor training grounds. “Split off into pairs, let’s see if the rest of you were paying attention.”

He smiled and nodded at Ryl before he hastened off to train with the Vigil.

Ryl spent a moment stretching before strapping on the custom holsters for the Leaves that Deyalou had made him. His next destination was The Hall of the Phrenic. The morning had slipped away, and the sun overhead now pushed past midday. The city was abuzz with activity, as was the new norm.

Three moons earlier, the Council had rendered their decision. Though the deliberations were contested, they had approved the venture to free The Stocks. With the announcement, life in Vim had been altered dramatically. In less than five moons, Ryl and Andr would be departing the relative safety of the city with a group of eight others. An additional four phrenics and four of the Vigil would comprise the party. All positions had been filled voluntarily.

The entirety of his scout detail, Kaep, Deyalou, Ramm and Vox eagerly offered their support to the campaign. Andr had coaxed three Vigil, Dav, Soldi, and Ceado to volunteer for the mission. All were trusted and competent fighters. To Ryl’s surprise and displeasure, the final position was filled by the insufferable Nielix.

The outspoken Vigil had been adamant when volunteering, though his words further highlighted his unflappable distrust of Ryl and the phrenics. He voiced his displeasure, yet accompanied the group to hold them accountable, to ensure that the phrenics returned to Vim instead of disappearing into anonymity in Damaris. His presence would be an annoyance that Ryl would have to accept.

With the secret of the phrenic’s talents now come to light, the training regimen for all of Vim’s defenders had been adjusted. The shadows of hatred that lurked in the desolate terrain outside the walls of the city were far faster than an average human, though their speed was marginally less than that of the phrenics. As a part of the daily training, Ryl and the other phrenics had been conscripted to spar with the Vigil. Dulled training weapons, some no more than flattened sticks were required by all.

The phrenics were permitted access to only a sliver of their power and speed at first. They were assailed by the Vigil individually or in groups, sometimes numbering in excess of ten. For the first few weeks, the hint of power was more than enough to hold their ground. Their Vigil sparring partners were sent home sore and bruised.

Through consistent and constant training, in a matter of weeks, the tables began to turn. Though they were by no means accessing their full complement of skills, hits on the phrenics grew steadily in numbers. No longer would it require sheer numbers of assailants to score a strike on their phrenic sparring partners. The Vigil were rapidly gaining confidence, growing more skilled, faster and cunning with their deception.

After Andr, sparring with Nielix was consistently among the more insipid exercises. The man proved hellbent on inflicting harm on Ryl at all costs. His inherent and practiced talents were incredible. As a result of Andr’s cunning, his new ruthlessly dirty fighting style employed any and all means to score a hit.

Ryl was allowed the same access to his speed as his phrenic counterparts, yet his training was supplemented with the use of a varying assortment of weaponry. Rarely was he permitted to spar with small weapons, analogous to the Leaves. Long swords, two-handed greatswords, bows, spears, axes or even his bare hands were the weapons provided to him. Ryl took to the differing styles with little hesitation, albeit not as readily as with the small blades. He felt as though the instruction was a mere refresher of that which he’d known for cycles yet hadn't maintained in practice.

From the time the sun crested the top of the mountains, to its fall, Ryl was thrust into rigorous training. The mornings were reserved for his work with the Vigil followed by a short break for food. His studies of the histories and teachings of Vim were squeezed in during a short period before his training with Paasek would begin. He was running far behind schedule today. A quick bite to eat would be all he’d have time for before his more rigorous training began.

Though Ryl was assigned to and trained with his scout detail daily, his trips outside the walls of Vim had been remanded. The volume of massing Horde lurking outside the boundary of the woods seemed to swell with his presence. It was a subject of debate among the phrenics and the councilors, though no concrete correlation could be determined. It was decided, however, that in the best interest of the phrenics and for Vim, he would remain within the city limits at all times.

Ryl's pace covered the distance between the training grounds and the Hall of the Phrenic in no time. He looked up at the artful facade of his new home. The architectural wonders of Vim never ceased to amaze him. He was in awe of the detail that had gone into the construction of the hidden city. He stepped through the entrance, letting the familiar feeling of welcome soothe his tired muscles.

The Hall of the Phrenic was a three-level structure. The entry hall served as a meeting place and dining room for the phrenics. The suite Ryl shared with Andr was among the three such suites on the ground floor. Members of his scouting party, Ramm and Deyalou, occupied the suite across from his. The two others, closer to the great hall were home to the members of the second scout group that had arrived to effect his and Andr’s rescue several moons prior; Paelec