Marc Arden and the Siphilon Academy

- The Limnoula (Part 1)

Marc gained consciousness, coughing and gasping for breath. Cool, steamy air gently entered his lungs. Marc felt something being siphoned out of his lungs excruciatingly slow, making him shiver.

He tried sitting up in alarm but fell back in pain. He was in shock and his lungs felt like they had been punctured, when someone enveloped him in a hug softly. Womanlike.

He opened his eyes and frowned. Opaque darkness surrounded him, trembling against the awkward hug before calming down.

"Shhh…" Someone whispered in his ears.

"What happened to me, why is everything dark, where am I?"

The person squeezed me one more time before withdrawing from the hug. Marc sensed that the person was sitting opposite him.

Marc couldn't bear the silence and darkness anymore. One thing could solve that.

Marc ignited his index fingertip on smokeless fire, and the cave around him lit up in warm light.

Scarlett Elizabeth was sitting opposite him, her face impassive.

"You're finally awake." She said.

Marc stared at her, confused.

"Scarlett?"

"Yes Marc, it's me."

"But where are we, the last time I saw you… you were unconscious…"

"Yes, and you saved me."

"But the fire and smoke. The grass in the clearing, was there a pond?"

Scarlett stared scrutinizingly at Marc, unsettled.

"No Marc, there isn't a pond." She replied gently.

Marc looked suspiciously at Scarlett.

"Last time I recall, you were angry with me. In no way would you have spoken like this to me, let alone give me a hug."

Scarlett's face went crimson. She scowled.

"Yeah well don't expect me to do it again. Last time I recall, you saved my life twice and gave me food."

"That's more like you. Okay now, back to the point, where are we?"

"Oh, we're are in a cave. Dom created this to trap the steamy air so exchanging the smoke in your lungs with fresh air won't be so hard against the wind. After all, I'm still learning."

"Was that the thing leaving my lungs? Smoke? I thought my lungs were punctured."

"No, it was me, pulling out all that smoke. You had a lot in you."

"Okay well, at least I can breathe now." Marc inhaled deeply and frowned. "Smells a bit like smoke."

"Yeah, I had to keep filtering out the smoke in the cave with fresh air. But I can't keep at it. Dom told me to tap on the rock for us to get out."

Marc looked away from Scarlett. She looked amazing under the golden light from his fingertip.

"Thanks for saving me, that smoke felt as if it would've killed me."

"It would have." Replied Scarlett. She yawned in exhaustion. Marc figured she had been healing him for a long time now. "Ready to leave?"

Marc stood up and Scarlett followed suit, looking at him worriedly, like as if he was gonna drop dead any moment.

"Not just yet," Marc replied. "You look terrified for some reason…tell me why."

"I didn't think you'd make it out alive. You were in really bad shape. I didn't want your death to be on my conscience." Scarlett blinked.

"It wouldn't have been. What makes you think so?"

"You risked your life to save me, even though all I did was insult you."

Scarlett voice shook slightly. She stood up, hiding her face from Marc.

She walked off to a side of the cave and rapped her knuckles on the hard, grey rock. Instantaneously an entire side of the cave broke off and bright sunlight rushed in, reducing Marc's eyes to slits. Marc stumbled out as he heard Dom's voice.

"Any luck so f-" Dom rested his eyes on Marc. He walked slowly and outstretched his hand to Marc. The latter took Dom's hand and shook it, but Dom pulled him in for a hug, ruffling his hair.

"About time you woke up!" Dom was literally beaming. "I had to do all the heavy lifting work without you. I even had to carry you from the field, all the way into the woods. You've got three days catching up to do."

"Three days?!" Asked Marc, incredulously.

Dom turned to Scarlett, who was splashing water onto her face from a waterskin.

"You didn't tell him?"

"I thought it would be better if he heard it from you." She answered in a quiet voice, walking over to Conflagre to stroke his locks, her face dripping. The horse was munching down on some peppermint leaves.

Dom nodded at her before turning back to Marc.

"Yes, three days. The first day was given to Scarlett to heal up by Arcane, who by the way is exhausted. He flew off into the sky, and I have no idea how to call him back." Dom explained.

Scarlett mouthed, "Sorry."

Dom continued, "The second day was dark, we didn't think you would make it." His eyes flashed. "And today's the third day. You were recovering, but your unconsciousness proved otherwise. Alas, we can finally begin our journey to Middenheim."

Dom teared up slightly, beaming at the three of them together.

"It is an absolute miracle that three Siphilons have united together. Our race's fall from grace has ruined Siphilon ways of living. The Offbendi have corrupted many lone Siphilon minds. The fact that an Earth, Wind, and Fire bender have united from the far edges of Lorenzia is cause for celebration."

"Metal." Marc replied.

Dom raised his eyebrows, confused.

"What do you mean, Metal. Marc?" Dom asked.

"He was saying weird things in the cave too," Scarlett added.

"Fire and Metal bender, Dom." Marc concluded. "I can channel the Metal element."

At his words, Dom bowed his head. Scarlett and Marc shared a quizzical look.

Marc felt uncomfortable Dom's reaction. He smiled at Scarlett awkwardly, who averted her eyes away. The moment passed when Dom looked back up at Marc, eyes glistening with tears of pride.

"Attunement to a new element is a gift from nature. You have no idea how happy I am. Now our ranks have grown stronger, but both of you are long gone from mastering your elements. It is up to me to make sure you receive the training you need."

Marc felt a sudden rush of determination to train hard and grow stronger.

"When is our first training?" Marc asked, vigor seeping into his limbs.

"We will start immediately. Who knows what dangers we have in store for us on our way to Middenheim. It is highly possible for you to meet your first Offbendi, since the area was where the Offbendi laid siege on the Axle Bridge, restricting the Elbendi from western land."

Dom strode away towards a wooden tent with wide leaves fashioned into a rain fly. Dom brought out his Diochete and returned back to his two proteges. Marc immediately curled his hands into fists, ready to fight. Scarlett did the same, raising her hands up. Dom.

"Good lord! I've never met a more eager bunch of Siphilons. Hold on, we'll get to the fighting part soon."

Dom waved his Diochete along the circumference of the clearing. Earth suddenly erupted all around them. Dom shaped the earth into a circular wall. He had just turned the clearing into an arena.

Marc whistled appreciatively.

"Don't you lose energy? Channeling and bending that much earth." Scarlett asked.

"Good question! With a Diochete, you can carry out many types of channeling and bending, without it throwing a strain on your energy supply. But you still have to use your Diochete carefully. The trick is to store as much energy in it as you can. More the energy, the less the risk of it destructing."

Marc smiled at Dom, discreetly bringing forth his Fire and forming a tiny fireball in his palm. He laid his other hand on his sword handle at his sheath, diverting Dom's attention.

"So, this battle is… Scarlett and me, against a man hiding behind a Diochete?"

Dom gave him an amused smile.

"Shouldn't I be hiding? After all, Mr. Volcano is against me."

"Scarlett! You shouldn't have told him that." Marc complained, rounding on his teammate.

Scarlett smirked at his reaction.

"Ah! Come on! It looks like it's both of you against me now." Marc whined.

"And it sounds like the odds are stacked up against us there!" Dom replied.

"Let's get this over with!" Marc hollered and shot the fireball at Dom.

Dom laughed and raised his Diochete. Marc whooped, but the Diochete absorbed the fireball and shined bright gold.

Dom shot the fireball back through the Diochete towards Scarlett. The Diochete returned back to its silvery-blue glow.

Scarlett, however, was even more impressive. She brought her hands down beside her, and Wind streamed past her, wind sweeping her hair. The Wind currents propelled the fireball back at Dom. She summoned forth two sheets of wind to shape the Fire into a thin blade of flame. Marc cheered and leaped forward.

He concentrated on the Fire, deepening it until it turned dark crimson, radiating with heat. For a moment, Dom looked unsure of himself. He adjusted the wires in the middle of his Diochete that made it glow.

Dom scowled in concentration. Even if he created a solid rock face to parry the attack, the blade of fire would just melt through the thin layer. Marc shouted in panic as the blade raced at Dom, just stood motionless.

Just as Marc was going to command Scarlett to stop the blade, the ground rose into a ramp-like rock spire. The timing and shaping were extremely effective. The blade of fire slid across the surface, burning it apart, but veered upwards. The fleck of orange disappeared into the sky.

The rock spire fell with a resounding crash, releasing a great cloud of dust. From underneath it, Dom pushed his way out, under a wooden shield, a small trickled of blood streamed out of a scratch at his forehead.

Marc and Scarlett shared an exasperated look. With all that effort, they managed to do close to no damage at all. But looking at Dom, they knew he used up a lot of energy to stop the attack.

Dom laughed out and lowered his shield.

"Impressive, that formidable enough," Dom praised.

"What surprised me is how Scarlett controlled her Wind like that." Said Marc, frowning. The last time he recalled, Scarlett was struggling to control Wind in Cartrile.

"It was all from my first training with Dom. He taught me how to use Wind to shape other elements into weapons, instead of using Wind as a weapon."

Scarlett looked really happy that her little trick had worked.

"But we're not done yet!" Dom shouted. He brought down his Diochete to his abdomen level gestured outwards.

A mini earthquake shook the ground and the two students went sprawling to the ground. The ground slanted off to the edge of the arena, where Marc and Scarlett slid on the dusty floor and crashed into the wall.

As they were disoriented, Dom easily waved his Diochete and brought down another cave of rock and sealed Marc and Scarlett inside.

Marc was the first to recover his wits. He lit up the cave with smokeless fire. Soon Scarlett started cleaning the air.

"He's gotten really good at making caves. Crazy old caveman!" Scarlett grumbled in annoyance, scrambling to her feet.

Marc snorted.

"Less talking and more fighting!" Came a muffled voice from outside.

"Any ideas on how to get out of here?" Scarlett asked Marc.

"Oh yes I do, too bad for Dom, he's not the only one with two elements."

Marc summoned pure metal from thin air. He shaped it into a dagger-like hand pickaxe.

He held the pick at its handle and heated it until it was glowing red, then with a huff of effort he lunged and brought down the pick on a wall of the cave. The effect was instantaneous. A huge part of the wall came crashing down to the ground. Marc started working on breaking their way out, his biceps rippling every time he chipped a clean shot. After a few swings, he started perspiring heavily.

He turned to look at Scarlett, who immediately averted her eyes, turning red. Marc realized she had been watching him work.

"A little help here?" Marc asked, inclining at his sweat.

Scarlett blew a gentle cool breeze at Marc, who sighed happily and started working again. With Marc's next shot, a small hole appeared where sunlight pierced inside.

Marc brought down his pick for the last time, breaking off the wall for good. With glee, Marc and Scarlett exited the cave. They were not at all ready for what they found on the other side.

They walked out into a huge maze. Wood planks stood tall, with vines draped around them, to make up

"Are you kidding me? Not funny Dom!" Marc shouted.

"I didn't think it was. I'm exhausted after this." Came Dom's voice from the center of the maze.

"I guess we've got to get to the middle to complete this part of the training," Scarlett added.

"What do you say? I burn the hedges through until we get there?" Marc grinned evilly, observing his hands.

"Why don't you try Marc!" Shouted Dom.

Marc peered at the hedges in suspicion. After finding nothing unusual, he threw a fireball straight at it, and as it laid contact, an invisible barrier sparked to life, reducing the fireball to nothing.

Faraway laughter broke through the silence.

"Nice sense of humor, Dom!" Scarlett shouted. More laughter.

"I guess we have to do it the hard way," Marc breathed, before entering a corridor. The entire path was filled with vines and thorny bushes. The foliage was so thick that Marc couldn't see the end of the path.

He raised his hand and was about to throw a fireball when Scarlett placed a hand on his arm, lowering it.

"Don't! It'll just waste your energy to keep firing. We need it to fight Dom at the center. Just craft me a knife. You use your sword." She strategized, indicating at Marc's sheath buckled around his waist.

Marc smiled and nodded, he felt so confident with Scarlett as a teammate that he knew Dom had no chance.

Scarlett stepped back as Marc raised his arm, palm facing upwards.

Marc felt a tug within him and melted Metal poured out of his palm, filling in an invisible mould. Within seconds, he held a gleaming silver knife and handed to Scarlett. A wave of nausea passed over him, and he wobbled on his feet, leaning against a hedge with his eyes closed.

"Are you okay?" Scarlett asked him in a quiet voice. She reached out a hand to catch him but paused halfway. He nodded and opened his eyes.

"I'm fine." Was all he said.

The two young Siphilons slashed their way forward in unison. The maze wasn't that hard to solve. Considering how little time Dom had to create it.

One thing Marc noticed about his teammate as they moved ahead was that Scarlett had a habit of rustling the leaves with small breezes of Wind. After taking a series of turns, they reached a fork with two paths, each of them leading to dead ends. They stopped in their tracks, confused.

"Well, that can't be right! We went the right way." Scarlett seemed to question the hedges instead of Marc.

They moved idled the path, inspecting the hedges. Marc knew it had to be an illusion. He cast around for ideas and grinned. He constructed a shiny metal plate and with its reflection, he adjusted its direction, looking around the hedges. There it was, at the junction of the fork, a third path led right through the middle. Marc cautiously approached it and held out a hand. It passed cleanly through the hedges.

Marc laughed in delight.

"How do these stuff even work?" Marc asked to no one in particular.

Scarlett stared at Marc, openmouthed. "How did you even figure that out?"

"I may know a lot more about Dom. That man relishes illusions and deception."

"I see you've just encountered your first magic items! A reflective trap invented by the famous Crystal benders in history." Dom shouted. " Just so you know, I'm getting rather bored here."

Marc and Scarlett passed through the hedge and there Dom was, coolly resting on the ground at the center of the maze.

"About time." He said, yawning. He got up and went off to a side, where he brought three steaming bowls of stew. He placed them on the ground and picked up his Diochete, with a spin, the entire arena withdrew away.

Marc sighed in relief. He let go of the claustrophobia - he didn't know he had been feeling for a long time - and dropped himself in front of a bowl.

Conflagre and Paderon whinnied in the distance. The sun was setting and the sky darkened rapidly.

"Any news from Cartrile?" Marc asked. Digging into his stew.

"I was briefed by a man passing by. Said they put out the fire the very same day. I believe they're holding an investigation for the culprit."

"Then we have to leave." Marc stood up, stretching his limbs.

"It's approaching nightfall and I know a place we can reach in time for us to rest. It's a few miles out south. An old grove of a friend of mine. It's a pity there isn't a building on site."

"Describe this grove." Said Scarlett, who had been lost in her thoughts all this time.

"I've been to it only once before, It's very badly managed. Few plants strewn around, more like plain ground. One great feature is that it has a nice pond in the middle. Perfect for swimming. It will prove helpful in your training. Overall I can consider it perfect for a day's stay." Though clearly, he was disappointed at anyone who had bad plants management.

"Then let's get going!" Said Scarlett, draining her bowl and standing up, already on the move.

Marc followed Scarlett to the horses to help pack up, while Dom busied himself in removing their traces of bending elements, returning the scenery back to normal.

Half an hour later, they were ready to leave. Marc climbed on Conflagre and trotted around the clearing. Dom pointed at Marc's sheath.

"Keep that buckled on you, I fear our journey will be much more dangerous hereon. Marc, create a weapon for Scarlett, anything of her liking."

Marc glanced at Scarlett, pleased to be of some help. He waited for her to decide on her weapon.

"I'd like a dagger, something smaller than the knife you gave me in the maze. And more overkill." She added. Marc furrowed his eyebrows, but just then, his eyes lit up. He knew what to do.

He pulled the dagger out of his belt and presented it to Scarlett - the dagger he bought in Acanon from Mr. Banerji. One thing he realized as he held the dagger is that he knew exactly when and how the dagger was created.

He questioned Dom on this and Dom explained it was because of his connection to Metal.

Marc smiled and handed the dagger to Scarlett, who swooned, tapping her finger against the sharp tip of the blade.

"This is beautiful. Where did you get it?" Scarlett looked up at Marc.

"I bought it in Acanon before Dom and I left to Cartrile."

"Can I see this dagger?" Said Dom, appearing at Scarlett's side.

Scarlett handed it over to Dom with shaking hands. No - glowing hands, somehow Scarlett's hand had a pearlescent glow after holding the handle. Dom mentally noted this reaction. Marc hadn't noticed it.

"This is no ordinary dagger, I recognize a Lorenzic rune on it."

Dom shot an inspecting look at Marc, "How come you never mentioned this dagger to me?"

"I didn't feel the need to share it with you." Marc shrugged.

"Marc! This dagger is very dangerous! The core elements bound to it are fire and water, the two exact opposites! It could be very destructive in the hands of a fire or water bender!"

"Which is why it is more important for me not to have it." Protested Marc.

Dom creased his forehead as he handed the blade to Scarlett. "Its name is Falcata."

"It's the dagger that pierced my thigh after you deflected it, at your grove."

"Then it is cursed for you, that piercing would've killed you if Arcane didn't save you first. Do not use it again!"

"Well, then Falcata is yours!" Marc presented Falcata back to Scarlett, with a flourish.

"Thank you, but after everything I heard, this dagger doesn't seem so good."

"Don't worry Scarlett, Siphilon weapons are very beneficial. It will do you better to keep it." Dom advised. "The rune in the middle allows you to store energy in the dagger, to use for later. Something like a Diochete."

Marc unbuckled his tool belt and held it out to Scarlett.

"Here, keep the dagger fastened in this."

Dom took the belt, before Scarlett could, and using his Diochete, Dom placed a spell on the belt, then handed it back to Scarlett.

"Alright, now enough wasting time, we really should get going."

Marc mounted Conflagre again, who neighed loudly, ready for a good ride. Without a word, Scarlett mounted behind Marc, wrapping her arms around his abdomen. At contact, Marc stiffened, surprised.

"Don't worry, It's just me." Scarlett rolled her eyes behind Marc's back.

At her assurance, Marc eased.

Dom rode forwards, obliging Marc to follow. With a whoop, Marc left the clearing in Dom's wake. The familiar thrill of wind rushing through his hair and face consumed him.

They rode for hours until it was dark enough for them to lose sight of the hoofprints of their horses. Dom looked so gaunt and tired, making Marc question exactly how many hours of sleep he had after leaving Cartrile. Scarlett fell asleep on Marc's back, which was enough to cause Marc a stiff neck and a throbbing backache. Whenever Marc shifted, he was careful not to stir Scarlett, earning a smile from Dom.

They reached the Axle Bridge, separating the woods from the Palm. Heirlake's river was flowing noisily under the Axle Bridge. The currents looked dangerous. Dom and Marc rode underneath the bridge and along a shallow part across the river, the horses' hooves splashing a shower of droplets. Marc caught a few dewdrops on his tongue, relieving a parched throat.

"Any moment now," Dom announced. They found a signpost pointing out that an open grove was just ahead.

"Is there any town nearby?" Marc groaned.

Dom chuckled and glanced at him sideways, "Wouldn't mind moving Scarlett off onto another horse eh? The closest town is Halwood, down south. But unfortunately, it's way past my this grove and way too close to Middenheim to consider stopping there."

They rode a few more paces in silence when Marc broke it yet again. He chose his words carefully, then said,

"Dom. How am I attuned to Metal? You were able to channel Wood six years after starting off an Earth bender."

"I do not know, Marc. My suspicion is that a certain catalyst has caused the elements to behave differently around Siphilons. All the more reason for us to stop the Offbendi. Raising powerful Siphilons for battle is not the way to go."

Finding purchase in the conversation, Marc asked Dom urgently,

"I'm disturbed that Scarlett has only one element, and that too a basic element. Taking your suspicion into account, she should've found signs of her second element by now."

Dom nodded, thoughtfully staring ahead.

"I'll make changes to our training plan. Put you both through dire situations. It should trigger some signs of changes in elemental behavior. We'll be fighting with weapons next training, one of the many ways Siphilons fight is sword fighting."

Marc fell silent, he tried to concentrate on any elements around Scarlett, for any signs. But all he felt was Fire and Metal, his own elements.