Guimel yelped.
"Ah! Crap that hurt!" He was about to stick his bleeding finger into his mouth when he remembered that it was incredibly dirty. Everything from dirt to grease coated it and it certainly wouldn't be hygienic to stick it in his mouth.
"What's wrong, Guimel?" asked his uncle, Belor.
He looked down from the shoulder of the guymelef. "Nothing Uncle. I just nicked my thumb, that's all."
"Are you almost done with the repairs?"
Guimel struggled with the wrench as he screwed the final bolt. "Now I am!" He scrambled down the armour like a monkey and landed neatly on his feet. "Time for lunch!"
Uncle Belor laughed as he slapped Guimel on the back. "Good work, lad. But let's get you cleaned up first, eh? You look like a dirty rag."
Guimel laughed as he ran to the bathroom to clean up. "Just don't eat everything while I'm gone!"
He went to the small bathroom and cleaned his hands. He hummed a pleasant tune while he pondered the best way to fix the knee joint.
"Hurry it up, Guimel! The food's going cold!"
"I'm coming!"
Guimel ran to the main hangar and plunked himself onto his seat. His mouth filled with saliva at the sight of the steaming food. He dug in with fervor.
"I took a peek at your repair job on the shoulder, Guimel. Excellent work. I couldn't have done it better myself."
He blushed crimson at Belor's compliment. "Thank you, Uncle."
"You've only been with me for three years but you've become an expert on guymelefs. I'm not a bragging man but I can say without false pride that I'm the best guymelef mechanic this side of Zaibach. And I think I can safely say that my title will go to you."
"Oh no, Uncle!" protested Guimel. "I still have so much to learn."
"I've taught you as much as I can, lad. I think it's time you moved on to greater things."
Guimel was confused at his uncle's words. Moved to greater things?
He still remembered the day when he first came to the city. He had been a fresh-faced farm boy from the outer edges of the Zaibach Empire. Most of his time had been spent on the farm shepherding his family's sheep. It had been a quiet life with hardly any changes.
Then one day when he was out searching for a stray sheep, his life changed drastically.
A rogue guymelef from a neighbouring country had been creating havoc in his region. That day, Guimel had the unlucky privilege of finding its hideout. He had stood facing the huge guymelef, knowing he was about to die. He closed his eyes for the final blow.
But it never came.
A red guymelef had suddenly intervened and saved Guimel's life. He sat there on the hard ground, shaking in fear as the red guymelef destroyed the rogue enemy. Then with a swish of its capes, it had disappeared.
Guimel became obsessed with finding the identity of his saviour. He told his parents he was leaving for the city to join the army. He would stay with his uncle Belor and learn as much as he can from him. His parents had been against the idea but had relented when they saw how determined Guimel was. They bid a sad farewell and he had left the farm.
For three years now, he had absorbed everything his uncle had taught him like a sponge. His sword skill was improving everyday and his piloting skills were excellent due to his extensive knowledge of the machine.
His uncle stirred his soup and looked slightly guilty. "I found out who the pilot of the red guymelef is."
Guimel got up from his seat so fast it toppled. "You did?! Oh thank you, Uncle!!" He ran to Belor and hugged him.
"Now don't get mushy on me, boy. Yes, I found out who he is. He's the new captain of the Dragon Slayers."
A gasp escaped from Guimel's lips. He has known his saviour would be someone great but he had never imagined it would someone that great.
His uncle coughed. "And I, um, sent in an application for you to join the Dragon Slayers."
Guimel stared at his uncle in shock. "Huh?! But I couldn't possibly be good enough to join!!"
Belor smiled widely "So you think so, eh?" He reached into his pocket and revealed a white envelope. "Then what could this letter be?"
Guimel made a wild grab for it but his uncle pulled back just in time. He waggled his eyebrows and looked at the back of the envelope. "From Dragon Slayers Headquarters to Guimel Solaret." He grinned from ear to ear. "Still think you didn't make it?"
Guimel grabbed the envelope from his hands and ripped it open. His eyes scanned the page like lightning. He whooped with joy.
"I'm in!! I'm in!! I can't believe this!! I've been accepted!!"
He danced an excited little jig and hugged his poor uncle to death.
"I love you Uncle Belor!! You're the best!!"
"All right, boy! Just don't choke me to death!"
Guimel laughed deliriously and clutched the letter to his heart.
Finally, he was going to meet his saviour.
*******************
Dalet met his father's gaze and refused to back down.
"I will be a Dragon Slayer, Father, and you can't stop me."
"That is where you are mistaken, Dalet. I will not have. You will continue your education to be a Magician and be rid of this foolish idea."
Dalet brandished his acceptance letter like a sword. "It's too late. I've already been accepted."
Itaro grabbed the letter from his Dalet's hand and read it. He flung the offending object angrily to the ground and tossed his Magician's robe over his shoulder. He pointed a narrow finger at Dalet.
"How can you have possibly have been accepted into the Dragon Slayers when you have no guymelef experience?! Since your birth, I have decreed that you will be a Magician like I and carry on my legacy. I never instructed you to be a guymelef pilot!!"
Dalet smiled triumphantly. "I've been training for the last 5 years, Father. I applied for the Dragon Slayers last month and I have been accepted. I leave tomorrow to my begin my training."
"Impossible! Who helped you in this?! You couldn't have planned this all yourself!"
Itaro turned his angry gaze to his wife. She stood before his piercing eyes, trying not to tremble. "Did you help our son to disobey my orders, Neris?"
"Dalet wanted to pilot a guymelef. He has wanted this all his life but you chose to ignore your own son's wishes. I decided as my duty as his mother, I could at least fulfill such a small wish."
Itaro struck his wife. She cried out and fell to the ground.
"You fucking bastard!!"
Dalet tackled his father and pummeled him. Itaro grabbed Dalet's arms and flung him away. Before Dalet could attack again, the house guards detained him.
Itaro seethed with fury. "You will be punished for this insolence. I am the master of this house and no one disobeys me."
Angry tears fogged Dalet's vision. "I HATE YOU!! I'll HATE YOU FOREVER!!"
"Take him to the basement and lock him in. He's not going anywhere."
Dalet yelled and screamed. He resisted the guards but it was no use. They shoved him into the basement and locked him in. His screams of protest could be heard all throughout the house.
"GET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!! DON'T YOU LAY A FINGER ON MY MOTHER, YOU ASSHOLE!! YOU HEAR ME?!! I'LL KILL YOU IF YOU HURT HER!! I'LL KILL YOU!!"
He slammed his body against the door, trying to open it. Recklessly, he punched the door in anger until his knuckles were bleeding. He spent hours trying to force the door open but he didn't make a dent. Finally, Dalet collapsed to the floor, his body exhausted and his mind numb.
He stared at the cement walls while fragments of memories surfaced in his mind's eye. Like the first time he sat in a guymelef and the rush he felt. His Magician father and the frequent cruelties. His mother, who used to be a proud and noble lady. She was only a shadow of what she had been, due to the years of abuse. But she took it from Itaro because it was better her being beaten than Dalet. Of course, Dalet received his share of beatings. He had never been interested in being a Magician like his father and he never would.
He couldn't figure out how his mother did it, but she had secretly made arrangements for Dalet to train with a guymelef. He had asked her how this could be accomplished without father's knowledge but she refused to answer him. He hoped she wasn't doing anything illegal.
A soft knock woke him from his memories. He scrambled up and leaned against the door.
"Dalet?"
It was his mother.
"Mother? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Dalet. Just wait a moment and I'll unlock the door."
He could hear keys jingling and the lock turning. The door opened to reveal his mother with a large bag in her hand.
"You must leave now, Dalet. The transport will come for you now instead of tomorrow. I packed all you need. Now hurry."
"But Mother, what about you?"
"I'll be fine."
He gently touched the bruise on her beautiful face. Her eyes were badly blackened and even the carefully applied make up could not hide her wounds. A tear rolled down her cheek.
"You must leave immediately, Dalet. I've dismissed the servants early tonight so you can sneak out through the kitchen."
Dalet shook his head. "I'm not leaving without you. Not even a position in the Dragon Slayers is good enough if you can't leave with me."
Neris hugged her son and cried softly. "No, Dalet. One of us must escape this house and it won't be me. You must go now. I can't bear the thought of you in this place any longer."
She released him from her embrace. "I love you, Dalet. Now go."
Then she turned her back to him and walked away.
Dalet stood rooted to the spot. He couldn't leave his mother here where his father could continue to abuse her. But even as he thought these words, he knew he had no choice. He had no way to help his mother now. He wasn't strong enough. Yet.
He silently made his way to the kitchen. All of the lights were out and no servants were to be seen. He carefully opened the back door and sneaked out. When he was no longer in plain view of the house, he ran like his life depended on it. Dalet quickly reached the main road and saw the transport waiting for him.
"Are you Dalet Midaress?"
"Yes."
"Get in."
He climbed into the passenger seat of the transport and buckled himself in. The vehicle drove down the road at a high speed. Dalet looked out the window as his house got smaller and smaller.
"I'll come back for you, Mother. I'll become strong and take you away from this place."
*******************
The tides of war were coming and its minions gathered to prepare for battle.
To Be Continued...
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