Crest: The First Test

Emma rested a hand on the eye of one of her twin battle axes. They hung at her hips, the blades matching on both sides, making for intimidating weapons. Even now she could feel the looks of the other Guardian candidates that crowded around at the edge of the expansive forest that made up the Academy’s grounds.

“Sam, stop staring” said a girl over a little ways off to Emma’s right. She was short and mousy looking, carrying only a ring dagger and a short sword, while the young man standing with her was burly and muscular, his war hammer at his side.

“Come on Helen” she heard him mutter “do you really think a girl like her can handle those weapons. Battle axes are mainly for a male fighter.”

“She’s a Guardian Candidate, isn’t she” the girl said impatiently “maybe she has some Crest that allows her to handle them well.” Emma held back a smirk, wondering how they would react if they knew she could lift an entire Pyros over her head and throw it over three hundred meters.

Then again it would probably end in a witch hunt.

“Candidates” a woman’s voice boomed over them and Emma looked up to see an older woman of average height and iron curls standing on the raised platform with the judges. “Each of you has been found with Guardian potential and each of you bears a Crest. At this Academy, you will learn how to defend our realm against the Demos, creatures that have plagued us for millennia. You will learn teamwork and the proper use of your Crest. Some of you have already had training by your relatives who are already among us.”
Emma grinned, there he was, lurking off to the side, Uncle Nathan, as serious and expressionless as ever, his eyes darted to her only once then quickly back to the throng.

“Though only some of you will be able to face the challenge ahead” the woman said gravely “in order to choose who will be training here, there is a test. In the Ebony Forest, you will each go and each of you must return with the head of a Demos. If you are unable to defeat a Demos, send out a flare, senior Guardians will be on the watch ready to rescue you. Understood?”

“Yes ma’am” answered many of the crowd, though about half only gaped at her. Emma really wanted to let loose, take down a herd of Behemoths, but she knew how that would look.

Control, always control, she knew that if she showed more strength than the average Guardian, they would suspect. She was already dreading the dragon caverns, where the bonded Guardian’s steeds, present and future, lived; Uncle Nathan had said they might recognize her as drakion, as part of them. But then dragons were extremely intuitive and communicated telepathically, Emma was sure she could convince them to keep her secret. What worried her was when she used her Crest with her team. Being the manifestation of the power of her aura, Emma was afraid that when she used it she would be found out, no matter how many times her uncle assured her that no one would be able to tell she was part dragon. Yet Emma had been unable to find any Guardian, past or present, that had a Crest like hers, it didn’t even have a name, so she had come up with one herself when she had first began practicing it.
Emma felt a hand on her shoulder and she jumped and whirled, her hands gripping the haft of her axes.

“Easy, hatchling” her Uncle said quietly with a small smile and she relaxed. “Don’t get too deep into thought or you might break something”

“Sorry Uncle Nathan” she murmured.

“Well that’s at least something you got from me” Uncle Nathan said “your mother was all confidence on her entry test”
“I’m worried” Emma said “I’ve waited for this my whole life, but what if . . .”

“Enough of that” Uncle Nathan said “I’ve taught you all I can; it’s time you had proper training. You’ve honed your control, now you need to learn to be a teenager” he smiled wryly “Your mother wouldn’t have liked much how I’ve taught you to hide, but you understand it’s for the best, yes?”

“Of course Uncle” Emma said “I know what happens to . . . you know”

“Yes I do” Uncle Nathan sighed and he unexpectedly brought her into a hug and she did not waste the rare moment “keep yourself in check, hatchling. But just know that you are your parent’s daughter, through and through and that is nothing to be ashamed of. Be proud of what you are.”

“But keep it hidden” Emma answered “It’s going to be hard Uncle, to keep from flying”

“I know, Emma” he said pulling back “I know. Good luck, niece. Save some for the rest of the Guardian candidates”

“He’s obviously way too confident in her” she heard the bulky young man hiss to the girl. And Emma smiled

“I’ll be sure to keep it under control” Emma said. Let the others think it was a joke or a vote of over confidence. Emma knew better it was a warning, to be careful, to restrain the urges that came with being part dragon.

The relatives and friends moved off to the crowd of bystanders and the first name was called out and the tests begun. Emma waited with the rest of the Guardians as one by one each took off into the forest.

There were roughly fifty Guardian Candidates gathered on the concrete pad. Some were the first in their family to be tested; others were like Emma, descended from Guardians. But there were two things that separated Emma from the rest, as evident when her name was called off.

“Harper, Emma” the woman said, choking a little and a buzz of excited murmuring blazed up behind her and she caught her Uncle Nathan’s eye solemnly. Her mother and father had been heroes when they had died, taking on an enemy that they seemed to have no hope of winning against, yet somehow they had driven the monster back. But Bethany Harper had sustained too many wounds and had died within minutes of the ending of the battle. And her dragon partner, Hakaru, Emma’s father had killed himself, unable to cope with the void inside his soul.

Now she was here, upholding both her parents’ legacy.

“Harper?” the burly boy asked and the mousy girl nodded. Sam and Helen Green, brother and sister apparently had both squared off and emerged victorious against the Demos that resided in the Woods.

“Miss Harper” the woman choked a little on her name again and she cleared her throat “are you ready”

In answer, Emma pulled her axes free, her hands slipping through the wrist loops. She crouched and nodded, ready. The gunshot sounded as it had for the first ten candidates and she took off.

It was easy to control her speed; it was second nature by now. But still she carefully made it seem as if it was as fast as she could go.
Always act as if you are being watched, her uncle’s voice, from many a lesson, his mantra.

She kept her face from screwing up as she entered the forest, a Lupus had marked territory here, and Emma barely managed to keep herself from gagging on the stench of it. Shaking herself she carefully made her way through the trees. Act human Emma told herself, act like this is a trip into town and Uncle Nathan will ground you for a month if you don’t act human.

That helped and she barely thought about it as she made her way through the trees, keeping her urges under control.

Then she heard it. It was a Panthera, a huge cougar-like creature with red eyes, creeping through the brush, stalking her. But she couldn’t go after it. She was being watched, if she let on that she knew that a Panthera was stalking her when even her mother hadn’t been able to know that, people would wonder. So she kept walking, keeping her body relaxed as if nothing was wrong, its scent getting closer, telling her it was a male. She knew how Panthera hunted, they stalked their prey and once the prey stopped moving they pounced going for the throat. She would have to keep pretending it wasn’t there until she knew it made enough of a noise or was close enough that a normal human would feel uneasy.

Crack, it was small but to her ears loud and she knew that was enough to warrant a glance around. It froze she could tell, listening to its breathing. She couldn’t help but be scornful. She was twice as large as a Panthera when she in dragon form and she could stalk a mouse without letting it know she was there. As long as she regulated her pheromones, something that all dragons could do, making them superb hunters.

She kept moving, holding herself warily.

She kept quiet, and she found a small pool of fresh water, supplied by a fresh spring.

“Perfect” she said, she set her axes down, keeping her wrists in the loops and cupped some water in her hands.

Three two one she thought. A great yowl exploded around her and she stood and brought her first ax around, hitting the animal in the side of the head with the flat of her weapon. She would poison the water if she beheaded the thing here. Besides, she needed to look like it was something of a fight.

The Panthera was knocked to the ground. Emma thought ruefully that a single blow to the head and she could finish this thing. Oh well. The Panthera shook its head and stood growling as Emma advanced, backing it up against the tree line. It made to go for her again but she swung her twin axes down and lopped off its front paws as she dodged sideways to avoid its pounce, and Emma watched as it fell with a piteous yowl of pain and Emma quickly put it out of its misery and brought her right axe down and beheaded it cleanly.

She wiped the foul smelling blood of the cat-like Demos off her left axe blade and sheathed it then picked up her prize by the mane and pretended that it was heavier than a ball of yarn as she took it back.

She was met with cheers, the only other person to get something as big as her was the burly fellow, Sam Green, he had taken down a Lupus, a wolf like Demos that was not quite as muscular, but just as long and tall and cunning as the Panthera. So she wasn’t ahead but she wasn’t behind either, she had done just as well as her mother had.

She caught her Uncle’s eye and he gave her a nod and a small smile and that alone made her feel five times better than anything else in the world could. She had done everything perfectly, then if her Uncle was smiling about it.

“That was great” said the mousy girl Helen Green, as Emma placed the head of the Demos Panthera in the row with the other ten. Helen elbowed her brother and he grunted

“Yeah, great” he muttered then he eyed her “You related to Bethany Harper?”

Emma sheathed her ax before answering.

“She was my mother” Emma said and she waited for the pity or perhaps awe but from this huge muscular teenager she got neither. He snorted.

“Yeah right” he said

“Sam” Helen hissed “stop it, how do you know she isn’t really her daughter?”

“Because something like that, having a kid, everyone would have known about it” Sam said and he looked down at Emma “she doesn’t even look like Bethany Harper. Her kid would have been famous.” Before Emma could reply she caught her uncle’s scent and heard his footsteps approach them.

“Is there a problem” Uncle Nathan said.

“No Uncle” Emma said “just talking”

“I see” Uncle Nathan said and he studied Sam “though I am impressed by your performance young man, I am not so by your deductive reasoning.”

“Uncle” Emma said in exasperation. “It’s fine”

“Very well, Emma, I leave you to it” Uncle Nathan said “I will let you fight this battle”

“Yes Uncle” Emma said “I understand”

“Good day, young Guardians” Uncle Nathan said as the next candidate was announced and he turned from them.

“Who . . .?” Helen question trailed off as Emma answered

“Guardian Nathan Harper” Emma said “My uncle. And to answer your questions, my mother kept me out of the spot light for a reason. This reason. She was famous and she wanted to keep her personal life away from all of that. My uncle kept me that way. That’s why you’ve never heard of me. Ask any senior Guardian. They knew of me.”

“What about your father”

“Dead” Emma said shortly with a glare “Now if you please, I want to watch the trials”

The siblings looked taken aback and Emma turned her back on them and went to stand by her uncle.

“I was afraid of this” her uncle murmured and Emma smiled.

“Better this than everyone knowing about me” Emma said “I prefer anonymity over the fame. Let them have their speculations Uncle. Gossip holds no interest for me”

“Bah, that is because your mind is too . . . philosophical to see it as harmful” her uncle said

“So I don’t look like my mother, what is the problem?” Emma said and her Uncle looked over at her.

“That is just it, Emma, you look exactly like her” Uncle Nathan said “save for your hair, you are the spitting image of your mother. The painters could never do her justice but they served well enough to place in the history books. You have much to live up to”

“I know Uncle” Emma said “I know. And much more to prove”

“Precisely” Uncle Nathan said

Twelve more of the candidates went but only five made it through, the rest being unable to defeat the Demos they had chosen or too frightened to go in. it disappointed Emma, since Tetrion’s attack nearly wiped out at least two thirds of the Guardians before her mother and father and their team were able to drive it off, less and less Guardian Candidates were found and only roughly half were either brave enough or powerful enough to qualify for apprenticeship.

“Stone, Jason” and Emma’s ears pricked and nearly just as much muttering rose up at this name than hers. She grabbed her uncle’s sleeve and tugged and silently her Uncle nodded an affirmation to her silent question.

Geoffrey Stone had been the team leader of her mother and father’s team. It was how the Guardians operated. The classes were separated into teams of four, not including the creatures bonded to those within the team. Geoffrey Stone . . . she remembered him, but vaguely, having only been roughly one at the time she could not remember what he had been like and his image was blurry in her memory. She remembered that she had liked him; he had tickled her and made her laugh. Though she knew that that was more than most could remember, normal people couldn’t remember what was happening when they were only one.

She knew that Commander Stone had also died in the Tetrion conflict, a mere ten minutes before her own parents. She knew that he had had a son, four at the time. But like her, according to her uncle, the Stone family after the Commander’s death had went into seclusion.

“Why was he not tested two years ago?” Emma asked

“Because his mother was ill” Uncle Nathan said “she’s recovered, enough at least that she could safely make the journey with him”

“There he is” Emma heard a high pitched voice squeal, and Emma turned and felt her stomach flip.

A tall dark haired young man walked confidently through the crowd, a broadsword at his side. He held no shield or any other armor or weapons. Like her, he seemed unafraid of the woods. His face was scarred slightly; a long scar across his cheek was the most prominent against his tan skin. But that wasn’t what made her stomach tighten. His eyes, they were impossibly blue, and they were intense, emotional, and they were looking right at her. He held her gaze and there was surprise, respect, and maybe even a little admiration.

Part of her knew that it was obvious that they were staring at one another; Emma was keenly aware of her Uncles’ gaze and was embarrassed by it. The other part, the more draconic part would not let her look away. She would not submit no matter how intense the gaze was. This male would have no hold over her. Finally he looked away, but he had a smirk on his face that infuriated Emma and somehow made her feel as if she had lost the staring contest.

“Something catch your eye?” her Uncle murmured and she glared at him

“I wasn’t submitting” she muttered so low that only her Uncle could hear.

“Handsome lad” he continued as Jason Stone made his way to the starting point “isn’t he?”

“Shut up, Uncle” Emma said “that’s not what that was about and you know it”

“Maybe not on your end” Uncle Nathan said, teasing her. “But he certainly thinks he has you tied around his finger.”

“Not for long”

“Emma” he said his tone changing from teasing to warning.

“I won’t challenge him” Emma said as the shot rang out and Jason ran into the forest. “But I won’t submit to him either. He has to earn the right to push me around.”

“I know” Uncle Nathan said with a grin “your mother is too strong in you, niece. She would never back down either. I just hope some of your father’s wisdom is genetic too.”

They were silent as they waited while around them there was a buzz of conversation.

“Did you see his eyes?” one girl asked her friend.

“Gorgeous” her friend swooned. Luckily they were close enough to be heard even by human ears and it was a good thing because Emma couldn’t keep her reaction down. She snorted loudly and the glares of the other girls made her want to laugh.

“Excuse you” one girl said pointedly and her Uncle looked over but then looked away, trying not to smile.

“Oh I’m sorry, was that out loud?” Emma said in mock horror. The girl glared then relaxed.

“Look, Jeanie, the Harper bitch seems to think she’s funny” the girl was armed with a rapier while her friend had a whip on her belt. Emma felt her uncle stiffen but she gently squeezed his arm.

“Oh no, I’m not funny” Emma said “I can’t tell a joke to save my life. You on the other hand, your face alone is comedy gold. Truly you should hand out pictures to depression patients at hospitals; they would never believe that anyone could be so funny looking”

The girl was so red in the face that Emma was hard put to keep a straight face.

“So you think you have some claim to Jason Stone because you looked at him” another girl had joined in the conversation. Emma scoffed

“Claim him?” Emma actually laughed at this “I don’t even know him. You have eggs for brains”

“Enough” Uncle Nathan murmured.

“It’s fine Uncle” Emma said “they’re amusing.”

“But if you make them angry there will be a fight.” Her uncle warned “and the young lady who you think has eggs for brains is the Blythe Vanguard, of Vanguard Crystals. And the young lady whom you were so adamant is a comedic genius is the daughter of Blake Ferris, of Ferris Defense. Their families support the Academy.”

“I see Uncle” Emma said “then I would distance yourself from the scene”

“Stop acting as if we aren’t here” shrieked the girl that her Uncle had pointed out as Blythe. She pulled out a bull whip and held it at the ready, a crystal gleaming at the handle.

“Oh forgive me” Emma said “I was just asking my Uncle to leave, because I don’t give a damn about who your parents are or how much money they have. This is a ridiculous squabble that I refuse to take part in. put your weapon down, please, or I will be forced to retaliate.”

“How dare you” the Ferris girl exclaimed. They were drawing unwanted attention.

“This is stupid” Emma muttered and she looked at her Uncle. “Go on uncle, plausible deniability will suit you here if these idiots don’t stop acting like children”

“Witch” shrieked Blythe and she drew her rapier. Emma sighed

“Enough” Uncle Nathan commanded. Normally this command stopped hardened warriors in their tracks, but apparently not overzealous and rich fan girls.

Blythe held herself in a ready stance and thrust at Emma, who dodged effortlessly. In this she did not need her dragon abilities, her mother had been excellent in the art of weaving through an attack. And Blythe was at quite the disadvantage in this one sided fight. She had learned the proper use of her weapon, which meant that her body automatically went into the proper forms for rapier combat, making her moves easy to predict.

The Farris girl's whip was slightly harder to dodge but again it was limited, the Ferris girl knew what she was doing with it but whips once on a path cannot be altered or the momentum and snap are lost in the redirection, making it ineffective. It was soon a dance, with Emma weaving between attacks, lithely dodging thrusts and snaps, while her opponents wore themselves out.

“Hold still” the Ferris girl cried in frustration.

“Sorry” Emma said standing between them “I thought you were trying to hurt me, my mistake. Is this better” she stood stock still between them and waited, as she had with the Panthera. Then as Blythe thrust and the Ferris girl flicked her whip, Emma flipped back on her hands and then to her feet, watching as the whip wrapped around the rapier and Blythe fell forward with the Ferris girl following, pulled down by the weight of the other girl.

“Can we stop with this foolishness now” Emma asked cordially.

“I agree” said the stern woman who had addressed them before the trials coming down off the platform “Guardian Harper, what is the meaning of this”

“It’s my fault, Madam” Emma said quickly. “I goaded the girls, my uncle warned me but it got out of hand quickly and before he knew it weapons were drawn”

“I see your weapons are sheathed” the woman said

“My blades are for Demos and Demos only, madam” Emma said promptly

“I see” the woman said “On your feet ladies. And Miss Harper, don’t try to cover this up. I am not so old that my ears don’t work”

“Yes ma’am”

“You two” the woman said as the girls stood “what a shameful way for future Guardians to act. Weapons are not to be used on other Guardians except in sparring practice. You are lucky that this is only induction trials had you been aware of the rules, you would have been expelled.”

“But she was mocking us” the Ferris girl said indignantly

“What did you expect?” the woman said incredulously “you are supposed to be Guardians one day, you should be focusing on how best to serve your people, not manicures and which celebrity had the best body.”

Emma schooled her face into an expressionless mask, trying to keep from laughing. She liked this woman.

“But” the girls said

“And furthermore, you are now one of many, once you pass those trees, materials have no meaning” the woman said “it doesn’t matter who your parents are, what transport you drive or use, it doesn’t even matter what clothes are on your back. Out there you carry a duty to your race, a duty to protect and preserve the human race. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am” the girls chorused sullenly. The woman then rounded on Emma.

“As for you, Emma Harper” she said “I realize that your mother spirited you away to your uncles cabin for a reason, I realize that you have had limited social interaction because of that seclusion. And I realize that you are your mother’s daughter and will speak your mind no matter what anyone says. However, we do not pick fights at this Academy, nor do we tolerate showing off. If you continue to act this arrogant I will be forced to punish you. Do I make myself clear?”

“Perfectly, ma’am” Emma said and she paused “Forgive me, ma’am but can I ask your name”

“Guardian Agatha” the woman said and she ignored the giggles of the pair of girls behind her.

“What a stupid name” the Ferris girl whispered

“Again, I am not so old that I am deaf, you uppity brat” Guardian Agatha said and Emma grinned.

“Guardian Agatha” Emma said and she pounded her fist to her chest. “I find you to be of kindred spirit. I will respect you as elder and follow your commands without hesitation”

Agatha grunted and turned to Nathan.

“At least you made sure she knew her heritage, Nathan” Agatha said and she nodded and Emma inclined her head until she passed.
“Well that was stupid” Blythe said “that old bat is a fool”

Rage swirled up into Emma like a monsoon and she took two steps forward and raised her hand to slap the offending girl when someone grabbed her wrist.

An unfamiliar scent, though fouled by Demos blood made her freeze and she looked sharply at who had her wrist. Her stomach flipped again.

It was Jason Stone.

“I’d watch your mouth” he growled to the two girls “Agatha is a personal family friend and I don’t take kindly to people who disrespect her”
“Then why did you stop me” Emma hissed at him, but he ignored her. He was still glaring at the two girls who were eyeing him with what they thought were seductive expressions.

“Go away” he said “and Miss Harper might leave your noses intact.”

The girls were surprised at his words and glaring mutinously at Emma they stalked away. Emma ripped her hand out of his grasp, without hurting him.

“How dare you” she said through her teeth. She wanted to fight him but she kept the urge down.

“I had to stop you” Jason Stone said gravely. “Otherwise, you would have been punished for laying a hand on the daughter of one of the richest people on earth”

“I don’t give adman about their money” Emma growled “they deserved it”

“They do” Jason agreed “but not after Agatha just said not to start fights, otherwise it might look like you didn’t care about her orders, instead of defending her honor. Only a few people heard what that bitch said and most would have pretended not to hear it”

“Because she rich” Emma muttered and rolled her eyes.

“Mr. Stone” Uncle Nathan said and Jason jumped as if only then realizing he was there. “Thank you for holding back my niece”

“Guardian Harper, it’s an honor” Stone said holding out his hand and the two men shook

“Uncle” Emma growled “didn’t you hear what that spoiled little . . . rat said about Guardian Agatha”

“Yes, Emma” he said warily “trust me, youngling, she’s had worse thrown her way. Being called an old bat won’t wound her pride”

“It’s disrespectful” Emma hissed

“I know how you feel about it” her Uncle said warning in his tone “but you must learn, now that you are among more political figures, to curb your tongue.”

“Uncle” Emma ran a hand through her hair. “I won’t lie”

“I’m not asking you to lie” Nathan said “I’m asking you to keep your thoughts to yourself”

“I’ll help her sir” Stone said

“Oh will you now?” Emma said rounding on him “who says I want your help.”

“Well you need it” Jason said and Emma kept herself from snarling. For some reason, this man was bringing out her dragon urges. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

He was desirable, sure, definitely worth a few day dreams. But his arrogance was grating her nerves.

“Like I need scurvy” Emma retorted.

“Emma” Nathan said sharply and she looked at him. She had been fingering the haft of her right ax. Not good. It meant she was on edge. It wasn’t good when she was on edge. “You aren’t in the mountains anymore. Remember”

Emma took a deep breath then raised her chin and said steadily.

“Thank you for the offer, Mr. Stone” she said in a polite voice “but I won’t need your help.”

“You will if we’re paired, which is more than likely.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I brought back a Sus Demos head” he said triumphantly and Emma wanted to strangle him. A Sus Demos was not uncommon but incredibly tough and a scourge to any village. To lope the head of one off and come out without a scratch would put him on Alpha team. Emma knew that her performance with the Panthera Demos would put her on the same team; she had been the quickest and the most cunning according to the board. But that was the certainty.

“I’ll leave you two to it then” Uncle Nathan said and suddenly he melted into the crowd. Jason looked back down at her and Emma hated that he towered over her. It made her feel small. She didn’t like feeling small.

“I’ve wanted to meet you for a very long time” Jason murmured and Emma blinked in surprise. His tone had gone from arrogant to friendly in moments.

“Why would you want to do that” Emma asked automatically.

“My mother told me about you, the mysterious child of Bethany Harper” Jason said with a grin.

“Well I’ve known about you, but you aren’t mysterious nor was I too interested in meeting you” Emma said. This was not true entirely. She had been too afraid to meet her mother’s old team and their families. Even her uncle wasn’t sure how many people knew about her secret. Obviously Jason didn’t.

“Well” Jason said stepping closer and before she could protest he took her hand and brushed his lips along her knuckles. “Pleased to meet you all the same, Emma Harper”

“Oh please” Emma pulled her hand out of his grasp. “this suave routine may work on the girls back home, but words from a dime romance and a gesture of seemingly gentlemanly intentions won’t get you anywhere with me. And you are not pleased to meet me. You don’t know what to make of me; you think I’m crass, blunt, and abrasive. All of this is true and I am quite proud of it. Take your knight in shining armor act on the road, Casanova”

Jason stared at her then grinned.

“Alright, you got me” he said “I kind of thought you had some sort of thing for me when . . . “

“When I looked at you?” she asked with an arched eye brow. “Please, sure I heard your name and was surprised but I hardly know you. I’m not like your little fan club over there” Emma gestured over her shoulder to where she could smell Blythe and the Ferris girl. “I don’t ogle the first decent looking guy I see.”

“You think I’m decent looking” he grinned, intending to tease her.

“You are” Emma said “but that hardly matters. I’ve known handsome men who turned out to be absolute monsters underneath. I don’t put stock in looks.”

But your eyes are making my knees weak she added in her head. It was true; he was still standing only a foot away from her and his gaze was too intense, almost as intense as . . . well as a dragon.

“I’ll see you around Emma Harper” Jason said as he stepped back and with a smirk he turned and walked back into the crowd, leaving her to wonder what had just happened and why her heart was racing.