The Skies of Bern (Eren/Shugo C)

[Eren]

It was the night following the successful raid on the bandit group holed up in the mountain. Eren had invited Shugo to relax and celebrate with him, and the Dragon Knight now sat at the bar, sipping a tall glass of ale, his weapons propped beside him as he relaxed.

"Shugo, my lad. Well fought. You're growing into a fine Rider, and every time I see you, you look more mature, focused, and skilled. I'm quite impressed. You've come a long way since we first met."

Taking another draught of his drink, Eren gazed out the window at Mika, who was resting and eating, curled up with a piece of meat. He too had come a long way... It had been one heck of a journey, from diving off the cliff, to assaulting forts, to driving bandits out of their nests. It was crazy, to look back on.

"Tell me, Shugo. Where did you learn to fight? Who inspired you? What is your story? I know you can fly and fight, but I want to know how you learned to fly and fight. I want to know who motivated you. Who you fight for, and why. What your ideals are. What you hold dear to you. What you cherish."

Eren shook his head, his eyes serious and old-looking in the light.

"All too often, we forget who we are and where we've come from... We lose sight of what drives us. I want to know what drives you, Shugo. I want to know the fire that fuels you."

[Shugo]

Once again Shugo was enjoying a mug with Eren. It was his second, no maybe third. Shugo had lost count. He and Eren had seen each other so many times that he could hardly keep count. The two of them would often kill some bandits and share a drink or a meal. It was a bro thing. To Shugo that was what Eren was. He was his older brother, a guy he would often strive to be and learn from. This time however Eren actually began to ask questions, which did not bother Shugo, but it did make him wounder why they never spoke about it before. Maybe it was not the time yet, maybe they were to tired, maybe they both just avoided the conversation. To be truthful Shugo did not expect to partner up with Eren so many times. He could guess it was the same for the Dragon Knight.

"Why I fight", spoke Shugo as he took a large gulp of his drink. It was and like always none alcoholic. "Well have you heard of the Wyvern Rider by the name of Valin. He was the one who really taught me how to fight. He helped me get back to Bern and took me in once my parents died." Shugo paused for a moment. He did not like thinking about the past. It brought back up painful memories, thought he had come to terms with them. "Well I am getting a bit ahead of myself. To put it in short terms I was a normal kid about two years ago. Then I got kidnapped by bandits. I escaped when the bandits were attacked by Ilia and then attempted to go home. I was then kidnapped a second time by slavers and then taken to Lycia to become a slave. I escaped that time by luck and ended up running into a Wyvern Rider by the name of Valin. Valin took me back to Bern, but when I got home my home village was being burned to the ground by bandits. I joined in on the fighting and my parents got killed. After that Valin took me to the Valley of Wyverns where I meet Luna and became a Wyvern Rider. From that point on I took on Valin's ideas and became a Wyvern Knight. We are suppose to fight for truth, justice, and the protection of the weak. Those ideas are what guide me on my path. I want to make sure there are no more children like me who have to pick up a spear", spoke Shugo as he took another gulp of his drink. The young rider then turned to Eren.

"So Eren why do you fight", he asked while looking into the man's eyes.

[Eren]

"Valin... No, can't say that the name rings any bells."

Then Shugo set to telling his life story. To Eren, it was inspiring and powerful. The young Rider had overcome many great adversities in his youth, and instead of crumpling like so many others, he had become stronger. Flown higher. Done greater things. It was a good message, especially coming from one so young and malleable.

"Truth. Justice. Protection of the weak."

They were indeed noble ideals.

"Those are noble, Shugo. And once... Once I too fought for things as noble as Truth and Justice. But now?"

Eren sighed.

"I'm beginning to feel old, Shugo, though I know I'm not. At thirty-six, I'm actually in my prime. But it seems so long ago that I was unburdened by these awful realities. And I don't wish to burst your bubble, but I must tell you honestly. You asked why I fight.

I fight to survive. The highest ideal I fight for is the freedom of my homeland, and even that I fight for in a roundabout way. I fight to try and preserve the way of life I knew and loved... Where we were free to be farmers, and artisans, and smiths. When the way of the warrior was not the only way. When there was no overlord and no serf, just the men of Bern, wherever they landed in the socioeconomic ladder.

And I guess I fight because I'm scared to stop, Shugo. Because all I know is fighting. I'm a soldier born and bred, and I've seen too much carnage for even two lifetimes. I keep thinking that maybe tomorrow the day will dawn where we need the lance no more... But until that day, or until I die... I'll just keep fighting on."

[Shugo]

Shugo looked at Eren for a moment. It was clear that there was some kind of weight on him. He did not say it, but Shugo realized that there was something that took the truth and justice away from him. There was something that made him different. That weight on him. Shugo wondered if he would one day find it, or if he was already feeling it. In his mind he began to question. He began to question the world, society, and the actions of others. Shugo became a knight of justice because he watched his parents die. That was the thing that initiated him down the road he still travels. Shugo had to ask what made bandits bandits. It was not to long ago that Shugo heard about the boy and the girl. At the time he threw it away as petty excuses, but now. Now he was thinking about it.

"Eren when will there be enough", asked Shugo of the man he considered to be his older brother. The young boy looked into his eyes and wondered. "How many bandits do we have to kill in order to stop villages from being burned? How many days must I spend flying over Bern trying to save people? Day after day I chase the dream of making a world where people like me don't exist. I know I have only been doing it for two years compared to other people's thirty, but I wounder. When will it be enough", asked Shugo as he looked into his glass.

The young boy had been thinking a lot lately. It was not pleasant thoughts either. He remembered the bandits he killed and the people he saved. However in his mind bandits were never people, but after talking with those two from earlier. Well bandits became people again and people began to hunt his mind. Shugo needed to turn it off. He needed bandits to be monsters. However he also needed the questions answered. It was complicated.

[Eren]

"When will it be enough?

Shugo..."

Eren sighed. That was the toughest question of all. That was the question everyone wished could be easily answered. That was the question that plagued the men and women of the towns, the soldiers, the monks.

"It will never... Never be enough. I am old, Shugo. Old enough that I could have been your own father. And all I have seen is fighting. Is war. Is suffering.

One day, there will come a dawn that sees an end to the conflict between Bern and Ilia. One day, that war will cease... But there will always be wars. Always be fighting. There will always be people to save. That is why we feel the way we do. That is why we fight. That is the true way of the warrior - to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. We'll always have battles to fight, Shugo. But I do believe that eventually, every major conflict will fade. Sure, more might pop up... But we will be there. To defend against all of those new threats. We'll always be ready, Shugo. Ready to fly to the aid of the innocent. Ready to take up arms for what we believe in. Always ready to fight for a dawn without such bloodshed.

That is why we fight, and that is why we will fight. We have to be the justice the land lacks, until justice can bloom again. We must do what is right. Never what is easy."

[Shugo]

Shugo took heart in Eren's words. He knew before he started on this path that it would not be easy. That girl and his brother made him question. It was not good to question your resolve. By doing so you unknowingly weaken it. Maybe that guy could have gotten better or she should have been spared, but it all did not matter. They were bandits. Bandits hurt and killed people and as a result they needed to die. It was that simple. If you take life you loss your own life. Shugo needed to cement that idea in stone in his mind.

"Sorry about that Eren", spoke Shugo as he rubbed under his nose. "I have just been thinking for a bit. That girl in the cave earlier got me thinking about my choices and who I kill. It made me wounder if some of the guys I ambushed should have gotten a second chance. However they are bandits", spoke Shugo as he gulped down his drink. "If they wanted to have a farm and smelt iron then they should have done that from the start. They chose to hurt people and take things from them then they deserve the end of the spear. That is that."

The young boy looked as if he said something profound. He had made it up in his mind to ban mercy from the battlefield. No enemy would be spared and no prisoners taken. All brigands would die, no exception. Crippled or healthy, young and old. They all would feel the bite of shugo's spear and Luna's fangs. Death to brigands, that was his new battle cry."

"By the way Eren who taught you how to use a lance. Valin showed me, I wondered if you had any knight showing you the way."

[Eren]

"No, Shugo. Don't apologize for thinking. Don't apologize for questioning. Whoever kills blindly, or fights blindly... He is a fool. You who think are the best soldiers, for you show mercy when mercy is due. You retreat when retreat is wise. You always are on top of everything. That is the best soldier."

Shugo seemed satisfied with his statement, and Eren too felt satisfied with his response.

Then Shugo asked him who had taught him to fight.

"I learned in the army, Shugo. First on foot, then on Mika. I did a lot of training with the lance, in the days before I was an officer. Once I became one, I took up the axe. And that took still more training. Honestly, it was never really a "who" for me - always more of a process. There was no one mentor, no master to show me the ropes. I simply watched all I was near, learned what works and what doesn't, and tried to implement it into my own fighting style. Eventually, I guess, some of it must have clicked, since I'd like to say I'm not half bad now... But oh man, when I was still green... I was the worst shot around with a javelin. Never would have guessed that now, today, I'd be a crack shot with a spear. Funny, how things change like that, you know? You don't put much thought into it consciously, but all of a sudden things become... Different. You grow when you least expect it."

[Shugo]

"Javelin", spoke Shugo the word seemed foreign to him. "Oh right the short spears", spoke Shugo as he motioned his hands to describe there length. "I still can not throw those", spoke Shugo as he gave off a awkward smile. The young rider never had a need for ranger battle. Well it was more like he never thought of using range fighting. If the enemy was over there then Shugo would simply fly there. If the enemy was on the ground he would go to the ground. If they where in the air he would go to the air. He never saw a use for them. Sure they were annoying to dodge from time to time, but the spears were completely useless when compared to arrows. Not only where they faster, but they hit with a lot more power. If anything Shugo figured they should be learning how to shot arrows, but a bow was a poor weapon on a wyvern. The creature never flew straight enough for one to get a good shot.

"So Eren can you show me how to throw a javelin", asked Shugo as he looked at the purple scarfed general. It was something to do after this and it was useful. The two fell under a category that Shugo liked. Not to mention Shugo actually wanted to see Eren's skill at javelin throwing. Shugo had never seen him use it in battle. It could be because Eren was enver next to him when he needed or that Shugo was always grabbing the attention of the enemy that he missed it. However the boy wounder still wanted to see the sight. He wanted to know just how good Eren was with a javalin. He boasted about it so it had to be spectacular.

[Eren]

"Throw a javelin? Of course I can. It's not hard just to throw it, but once you're on a wyvern, it becomes a whole new thing. Just like combat in general, I suppose."

They headed outside, and Eren grabbed a spear, holding it so Shugo could see its fine construction. It was truly a weapon to be proud of - the smith Valcrist had made them for Eren, and the Dragon Knight knew that much care and hard work had been put into crafting them.

"These were made for me by the smith Valcrist. He had a blade full of the power of wind, and he fought with me against some zombies we encountered in Lycia. He was a good man, Valcrist."

Eren handed Shugo a spear, and took another one for himself.

"Now! You grasp the spear about two-thirds from the rear to the front. Firmly, but like you would a pencil, or a paintbrush. Not like a barbarian holding an axe, and not how you hold a lance.

Then! You draw back your arm, aim slightly above what you want to hit, and throw with a clean, sweeping motion. Forward, and then follow through. A fast throw, with power. Trust in yourself, and it gets easier. Really, it does. And practice helps a lot. You need to practice. Just keep working on it, if you want to learn, and you'll become skilled in no time. It just takes an investment of effort, which you certainly have a lot of. You've got heart, Shugo."

[Shugo]

Shugo held the spear, it was lighter than his dragon lance, but it applied more weigh on his one arm than he was use two. Normally he would equal it out between the two of them, but using one hand the weapon felt really, really heavy. Shugo had never used a throwing weapon before. Mainly because he figured he would not have the strength to throw it far and he never really knew proper technique. Now however he felt he was strong enough, but even now the weapon still had some weight on it. Though that was probably more due to Shugo being well adjusted to his dragon spear rather than a lack of muscular strength.

Shugo looked at a target in the distance. It was pretty far, but he had seen other riders and lance user hit the mark with javelins before. If he could not reach it then that meant he could not use the weapon in battle. He not only needed to hit it, but he needed to nail the blow with enough force that it would pierce. Just hitting the target was not enough. He needed to hit the target and pierce through the mark. If it was a living person he would need to pierce the armor right. Well the same principle applied when he was practicing.

With all the power he could muster in his arm Shugo pulled back on his arm and prepared to throw the mighty weapon. Natuarally he screwed up his form, he was a kid after all. The spear flew through the air but stopped short of the target. However the head of the weapon buried itself a good amount into the dirt showing that Shugo had placed a good bit of force behind it. "Crap", spoke Shugo as he looked with embarrassment. He had failed.

[Eren]

"Hm! Impressive, for a first throw."

The Dragon Knight looked at the distance the weapon had traveled and then walked over to it, pulling it from the ground and nodding again before returning to Shugo.

"You need practice, of course, but you have strength and willpower to help you. Plus, your form isn't bad at all. That was my main concern - that you'd have awful throwing form. But you have exceeded my expectations."

Eren took the Spear in his hand, twirled it once between his fingers in a showy display, and then hurled it, watching in grim satisfaction as it ripped entirely through the wooden target.

"That is what you'll be able to do with practice. I am confident in that. You should get yourself some training javelins and practice; I think you'll be a crack shot yourself some day. And there's nothing like raining down hell from the air as you streak by. Nothing like it, I tell you."

Eren stopped, standing and then turning back to Shugo with an expression of puzzlement.

"You know, lad, I've been thinking. I'd like to purchase some new equipment, but I'm not sure what is the wisest choice. You see, I have heard of magical weapons, of course, but there's also talk of weapons that nullify magic. Those seem pretty useful to me, especially to block those pesky mages. But then I also know that a talented smith could make weapons that are lighter than normal, let you kill with more ease, and also are effective against a whole host of enemies. So I just don't know what to do!"

[Shugo]

"Magic weapons", spoke Shugo in a puzzled tone. The young rider had never heard of magic weapons. "I thought magic could only be used inside books carried around by mages. I had no idea that it was placed into weapons. How do you turn the pages", spoke Shugo as he imagined a axe with a book attached to it? The young rider had read many a fairy tell in his youth, but they all had holy weapons that gained power from divine creatures or some source of divine power. It was pretty clear in the story that holy was not equal to magic as it would often dispel magic or resist it.

"Well I don't know much about magic", spoke Shugo as he looked at Eren. "From my point of view it would be better to get good at what you know rather than try and gain a edge with magic. Sure it might make you more powerful right now, but in the long run it will probably weaken your fighting spirit."

Shugo was proud of himself for that answer.It sounded like something Valin would say. However the truth of the matter was that Shugo was prejudice against magic. In all the stories he had read, heard, or have listen to in song Mages where always the evil villains. Magic was always at the core of the wrong doing and the root of the cause. It was not that shugo hated mages. He had meet a few mages on his trip and they where nice people, however the boy just distrusted magic. It was chaotic, weird, and seemed to him to be uncontrollable. Sure some mages say they can control it, but that is what the villain always said before it went hay wire and killed them or others.

[Eren]

"Well, I don't know much about them, but apparently, the little gremlins that live in the books and power the spells are put inside your lance, so they just run around and then when you try to stab someone, their power flies out from it. Seems like a handy trick to me, but I've always been more worried about stopping mages than being one myself.

And I'm not too worried about fighting spirit, my lad. Seems to me that I've got plenty enough. But I don't know if it's worth more to me to stop the magic or to join its cause. So I suppose that I'd just have to wait and see... But it's nice to hear your input. You'd stay away from magic - and somehow I see that in you. You've got that stubborn fighter's way about you. I mean that in a good sense. You'll fight until they're dead, or you are. Giving up doesn't work for you. You fight hard and you fight well.

Aye, Shugo, you could be one hell of a Rider someday. I see a lot of potential in you.

But you seem to be all alone in this world, flying solo and always going wherever the breeze takes you. For me, I had the army to shape me. But you don't - so what if we traveled together for a little while at least? We could take on many challenges, and I'm sure we'd learn a lot from each other as well as ourselves. It would be a great adventure.