Shel leads the other two well away from the training building in haste until they were standing back in the drizzle outside. She had a puzzled and awestruck look when she looked back to Rin.
“I don’t know why it took me so long before your surname actually clicked as to where you came from. I can’t believe Jae is trying to pick a fight with a Kazashi of all people.”
“His fighting judgement did seem to be blind.” Trisca speaks up. “However the turning point of the fight is when he got cocky and then punished. Rin,” She stares directly into Rin's eyes. “What did you do to him when you made contact with his leg? He seemed different, as if tired. His aura didn’t flow well either.”
Rin looked around her in a shy and nervous manner as if making sure no one else was listening before looking back into Trisca’s eyes. The girl was truthfully happy to be away from the training area and now seemed a little panicked as she looked down at her own hands.
“An old secret of my family. I,” Rin hesitates a moment, unsure about how to explain this. “I essentially manipulated his Aura. I don't have very good control of it yet, so it happened when he made physical contact with my skin.”
“Manipulated-” Shel and Trisca both whispered aloud in wonder. Shel spoke up once more before Trisca could. “That’s possible?”
“Well the evidence was there in the fight. The speed at which you approached Jae, as well as how large of a gust of wind burst around you.” Trisca seemed to be analyzing Rin with a hard expression. “Truthfully it would have been hard to believe if I had not seen it just then. Why keep it a secret though?”
Rin seems to think on this for a moment or so longer while twiddling her thumbs.
“As I said I don't have much control over it. I avoid physical contact because of it and it’s not easy to contain the extra amount of power.” She looks away. “It’s not reliable and I don’t want people to falsely see me for an old family gift.”
Shel looked at Trisca with a mild concern on her face. The two of them know how the base tended to play social ladder games while also letting skilled fighters climb up it. What they feared was the rumors that would spread after witnessing a fresh recruit out duel one of the highest officers in the base. Trisca sighs and nods.
“Not a word from us. However that means I’m going to be putting in word for you to work with the two of us and only the two of us.” Trisca stands straight to be taller than Rin. “Is that understood, soldier?”
“Ay.. Aye Ma’am!” Rin salutes after a slight hesitation.
“Good. The day you can do that for me with a straight and confident back will be the day you truly shine.” A smile forms for a small moment on Trisca’s face as she relaxes. “We should finish up showing you around the places on base, including where to eat as it’s almost time for this shift’s chow.”
Rin laughs out of embarrassment. “I haven’t exactly eaten since I got here either. That would be nice Ma’am.”
“You can relax a little bit Rin.” Shel almost went to pat Rin’s back, but remembered what happened to Jae. “Unless we’re drilling or scouting there isn’t a high demand for formality.”
The rest of the tour was kept fairly short as Rin was guided around the important places within the base. The way it had been organized was to help prioritize sections to be for a specific purpose. The building Rin was to sleep in was towards the east quadrant. Along with it were some other buildings to help support a way of life within the base, such as a place to get laundry done and places to gather food. Other recreational buildings also resided here for the social need or sometimes just to keep quiet to one’s self, such as a library or a place to lounge around in.
To the North side was the gate Rin had first entered the base. This side handled shipments from the cities as well as hold the buildings for troop movements. The west held the information and tactical buildings of the base. Briefings for scouting parties or tactical plans were held in a rather large building. The Commander’s, as well as a few important heads of the base, had their offices nearby this area for that purpose. The south was mostly an empty courtyard area as well as the main section of defense. It was heavily guarded on all sides but more so on the south as it was the direction of the active battle fields.
There was a particularly large gate to allow troop movements outside and several tall towers with troops manning the ballistae that launch bolts enhanced with their aura. In the center of the base with connections via walkways to the other buildings and wall was the training center that Rin had her strange test with Jae.
Shel and Trisca made it a point to tell Rin the major purpose of this base and its importance in the trade war here in Commerce as they made their way back over to the chow hall in the east quadrant.
“We’re here to keep the peace.” Shel points out. “The peace that is to be kept apparently is that the Humans have a share of the pie here. The Kraeka have been rather aggressive in trying to get a foothold in the area and it’s our job to make sure it never gets out of hand.”
“So essentially we’re to prevent a full scale war?” Rin brings the question up.
“Correct. All of the current fighting has been skirmishes and not full scale armies marching down a city.” Shel notices Rin relax at the thought. “We Hunters also mostly scout and protect key areas. The forest our base resides in grows important plants and herbs that are traded to the corners of the world. The Kraeka have these plants as well but that’s where the tensions arise from as it’s more abundant on this side of the continent.”
“Have the Humans acted out aggressively at all?” The question from Rin caught Shel off guard a little bit so Trisca brings attention to herself to answer.
“They have. As a Hunter that was a good question to have, to see both sides of the situation.” A smile appears on Trisca’s face. “While the Humans have acted rashly the scale still leans on the Kraeka being the over aggressors. That doesn’t mean we didn’t reprimand the Humans for their actions of course.”
“The treaty is the entire purpose of our organization. Should the fighting break out into more than simple skirmishes then both nations would be forced to engage in war in order to keep what they want. Our goal is to help them reach a decision and co-operate.” Shel holds a hand above her eyes as if scanning the skyline above the wall. It was a blue-tinted gray from the rolling clouds above, a gale of wind tossing Shel’s hair aside a little. A sigh escapes her when she tears her attention away from it. “At the rate we’re at though co-operation doesn’t seem near.”
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