The Border Adjutant

Tarron
Castle Kontar
Eseran Province, Goshalion

Eseran Province was home to the Bura Clan. The feared men and women who conquered the Airi Clan to take over Goshalion Mountain. It was said that Lord Jesah Kontar, the leader of the Bura, drank the Airi Queen’s blood to grow his strength.

Tarron Leodi had no idea about the drinking of Airi Queen’s blood, but he knew one truth about his uncle. Lord Jesah was a ruthless brute who only wanted more power in Goshalion. He would drain the people of Goshalion down to nothing if it meant he sat at the highest point in their world.

Now, Castle Kontar in the northwest of Goshalion was considered the highest point of Goshalion. It was where Lord Jesah lived with his mistress, Anath.

Anath’s son, Lazuli, had to call Lord Jesah ‘father’ even though he was truly a blood uncle. Tarron, who was Anath’s adopted son, called Lord Jesah ‘uncle’, though Jesah had asked him more than once to call him father.

Twenty years of living in the same house, and still, Tarron could not bring himself to call Jesah ‘father’. The only father he acknowledged was Lord Sahura Kontar.

Anath’s true husband, and Lazuli’s father.

No one had heard from Lord Sahura in two decades. Jesah and Anath had pushed him into hiding for the sake of power.

Tarron took in a deep breath as he buttoned his leather trousers. Once secure, he leaned over to check his leather combat boots, making sure the buckles were sealed tight. It would not do if they came apart while he was mid-match. Satisfied with his boots, he straightened up and reached for the long-sleeved tunic hanging in his locker. The soft black fabric of the tunic was designed to withstand the rigors of being in the army. The weaving on the fabric protected skin from easy damage in close combat. If the enemy was vicious, then it reduced the damage, if the soldier was lucky.

Tarron’s tunic was black as he was a captain, thanks to hard work these past fifteen years. He had earned his stripes in the ranks. Every second was designed to reach this moment, to earn his final rank.

Now, he was graduating from the Kontar Military Academy.

Tarron wore the tunic, pulling it on in one swift practiced move. When it was on, he adjusted the long sleeves to his wrists. He reached up and made sure the ponytail of his braided hair was secure in its tough bronze clasp. Satisfied with the tension of the clasp, Tarron reached into the locker for his combat gloves. The door to the locker room opened and he looked up to find his best friend Jax walking in. Jax looked tired, having finished his match.

“How did you do?” Tarron asked, wearing his gloves.

“Lazuli won,” Jax said coming to sit on the closest bench. He hissed as he stretched out his left arm to study a cut on his upper arm. “Your brother is too vicious. He cut me at the end when he was about to win. Little idiot truly thinks he’s a genius warrior.”

Tarron grinned and reached into his locker to touch the round amulet he always wore during his combat sessions. He took the hefty bronze amulet with the head of a lion on its surface and clipped it on the inside of his tunic. The cool metal felt reassuring against his skin.

“So, you’re fighting the final match against Lazuli,” Jax said, giving up on inspecting his arm. He turned his dark gaze on Tarron. The red ring around his iris seemed to light with fire at the thought of Tarron and Lazuli fighting.

“You know what to expect,” Tarron said, closing his locker, and adjusting his gloves to make sure they were on tight.

“What do I have to say to change your mind?” Jax asked. “Should I find Master Daae so he can talk sense into you?”

“What makes you think Master Daae doesn’t know?” Tarron asked with a small shrug. “Whatever happens today, I must become the Adjutant Officer of the Border.”

Jax cursed under his breath and let out a loud sigh.

“I’ve always believed your head is screwed on wrong. Everyone in the combat hall out there is scrambling to win the top spot as Castle Kontar’s Marshall. You want to be the second best. Anath must have dropped you on the head when you were a child.”

“Screw you, Jax.”

“Don’t need to, your brother already did his best to maim me. If you become the Border Adjutant you need to promise to take care of this subordinate. My first lieutenant status can only get me a position under your command, Sir.”

Tarron chuckled at Jax’s words.

“Stop acting pitiful, First Lieutenant Jaxxan Ahn. Your father is a wealthy merchant in our Bura Clan. What pitiful? I’ll be relying on your family’s gold for support.”

“Then, you may call me ‘master’, Captain,” Jax said, getting up. He moved to stand before Tarron and checked his tunic, making sure it covered his neck, down to his stomach. He checked his leather pants, and the leather belt holding them in place. He crouched down and checked his boots, making sure they were sealed tight. When he was satisfied, Jax straightened to his full height and took Tarron’s hands, adjusting his gloves.

“Fight smart,” Jax said. “Lazuli gets careless when he thinks he is about to win. He has a mean streak as you know. Try not to lose an eye when you fight him. I will see you on the other side.”

Tarron met Jax’s gaze and nodded in understanding.

“If you make it through this one, you’ll have the start of freedom tomorrow,” Jax said, his voice low.

Tarron bit back a smile and nodded his agreement.

Jax clasped his hands tight and then reached into Tarron’s locker. He brought out two long daggers, their handles shaped from black stone, smooth and easy to hold. He handed the daggers to Tarron.

“Fight true, warrior.”

Tarron gripped the daggers in his hand, gave Jax a final nod, then walked out of the locker room. Jax closed his locker and followed him to the combat arena.

Tarron walked with confidence into the long aisle that led to the fighting circle in the middle of the large dome-like combat arena. The bleachers were packed with cadets from the Kontar Military Institute. Shouts and whistles from different factions filled the air as the adjutant in charge of the event’s voice filled the announcers.

“And now, the final match of this championship is here. The final qualifying match to determine the newest Castle Kontar Marshall is here. The winner shall take on the office of Marshall, helping Lord Jesah oversee troops spread across the Goshalion realm. The final match is between Lazuli Kontar and Tarron Leodi.”

Tarron walked up to the fighting circle, conscious of the various Bura military officers and leaders sitting in the front rows of the match. Lazuli already waited in the middle of the circle. He was dressed in red, his tunic that of a captain, but colored red as he was a Kontar heir.

Tarron felt Jax squeeze his left elbow when he was close to the fighting circle. Jax stepped back allowing Tarron to continue up the short steps up the large circle marked with the red falcon that was the symbol of the Bura clan.

“Took you long enough,” Lazuli Kontar said when Tarron faced him.

Tarron shrugged his shoulders to loosen up his muscles and ignored Lazuli’s taunts. Instead, he gave all his attention to the referee.

“You have three attack cycles,” the referee said, placing his hands on Tarron’s right shoulder and Lazuli’s left shoulder. “The points you earn will be added to the fifty matches you have had through the championship games. Follow the rules and we’ll have no issues. Do you understand?”

“Understood,” Tarron said, and met Lazuli’s gaze, the distinct red ring around his iris sparking fire.

“Kontar,” the referee prompted.

“I understand the rules, Sir,” Lazuli said.

“Good, then the match starts now,” the referee tapped their shoulders and stepped back, raising his arms to signal the start of the match, then dropping them down to start the fight.

Lazuli attacked him like a madman. He was practically frothing at the mouth. Seeing him like this, Tarron forgot they were considered brothers by their clan. The combat arena went silent as they watched in horror as Tarron and Lazuli exchanged attacks with unimaginable skill. Tarron won the first of the attacks after a mighty struggle.

The second attack was harder. Lazuli fought with double the determination. Tarron gritted his teeth as he faced his older brother in a deadly dagger match. The fine blades of their sharp daggers clashed, crossing, deflecting, defending, then Lazuli used his elbow to hit Tarron’s right arm, determined to disarm him.

Tarron evaded the attack and used his left fist to punch Lazuli’s stomach. Lazuli bent over, letting out a gasp at the impact, and Tarron rested his right dagger on Lazuli’s neck, right at his vital vein.

“Match, Leodi’s second win!” the referee called out and a spat of claps filled the large practice hall.

Lazuli cursed and pushed Tarron away, annoyance clear on his face as he scowled at Tarron.

Tarron bit back a sigh at the familiar look. He was twenty-three this year. He had watched Lazuli give him the same scowl for twenty years. He had become immune.

“What do you think winning will get you?” Lazuli asked, closing the distance between him and Tarron.

Their faces were so close, that Tarron could see the specks of black in Lazuli’s dark irises. The red fire of the ring surrounding them was in turmoil. Lazuli was sweating with the effort of their match.

“You’re bound to remain under my command, Leodi,” Lazuli gritted out in a low whisper. “Don’t forget it for a minute.”

“How could I when you remind me each time?” Tarron asked with a sigh. “Calm down. The leadership is watching. We just need to finish one more round then we’ll have the results needed to make you the Marshall.”

“You’re overstepping,” Lazuli warned, his gaze narrowed.

“I’m not,” Tarron said. “You and I have been at each other for years. It’s no secret that we’re in a deep competition. No one would believe you won if I didn’t put up a fight, Kontar. I’ll give you what you want, but you must allow me to gain something from this too. We both represent Castle Kontar. If you stay here at command, I must gain an office too. Which means I must win points for the matches. Uncle will be satisfied with your idea when he hears it.”

Lazuli stifled a gasp at the mention of their uncle. He held Tarron’s gaze for a full minute before he nodded.

“You would let me mention this…idea…to him?” Lazuli asked, his gaze narrowing as he studied Tarron.

“Yes,” Tarron said with a nod.

Lazuli let out a soft scoff and nodded.

“Fine. If you remember what must be done, I’ll let the punch to my gut and your two wins go,” Lazuli said. “Let’s finish this.”

“Are you two done?” the referee asked, standing a few feet away from them.

“We’re ready,” Lazuli declared with a smirk as he looked at Tarron. “Tarron knows his place. We’ll finish the last of this qualifying match.”

Tarron let out a soft sigh as Lazuli turned away from him. His grip on his daggers tightened as he fought to hold back his anger.

His older brother was a bully. This was the nicest word he could use to describe Lazuli Kontar. They were brothers, but not by blood.

Tarron was adopted by the old Lord Kontar into the ruling Bura family. He was too young to remember his birth parents. He often wondered about them, but there was no one to tell him their story.

Their uncle, Jesah Kontar had taken over their father’s duties, essentially becoming the new Lord Kontar. Tarron hated him. Jesah was a cruel man, and he had turned Lazuli into a replica of himself.

“Alright, final attack of the match. The champion becomes the new Marshall and will help command the forces from Castle Kontar. The runner-up will take on the office of Adjutant Officer of the border. He will lead our forces to the borders of Eseran to ensure peace among the clans. Now that we know the stakes, are the contestants ready?”

Lazuli raised his arms, making a show for their audience as he said, “Yes.”

The audience responded to his declaration with cheers and Tarron held back a sigh.

“Leodi?” The referee asked Tarron.

“Ready,” Tarron said, in a matter-of-fact tone. Cold and unyielding, he gained no applause from their audience, just one shout from afar.

“You can do it, Tarron!”

Tarron bit back a smile as he recognized Jax’s voice.

Satisfied that they were both willing to be in the last attack of the match, the referee held up his whistle, and Tarron faced Lazuli, adjusting his hold on his daggers. Fighting to win was easy. Fighting to not win was more complex.

The moment the whistle was blown, Lazuli attacked him like a crazy dog. Doing his best to injure Tarron and take him down in a decisive win. It took everything Tarron had to ignore the multiple openings Tarron presented in his quest to win.

Tarron exploited the openings to keep the match going, escaping Lazuli’s many attempts to skewer him with the daggers. Then, five minutes into the match, Tarron gave Lazuli a swift opening, allowing Lazuli’s dagger to swipe at his left arm making a significant cut on his dark tunic. Lazuli smiled at the accomplishment. Fighting the urge to retaliate with force, Tarron stepped back and dropped his left dagger.

Lazuli rushed him and pressed his daggers to his neck in a show of dominance. His mouth curved in a sick smile.

“Match! Kontar wins!” the referee called.

Lazuli grinned. He stepped back, sheathed his daggers, and raised his arms above his head in a show of triumph. The applause started slow but grew with momentum.

Tarron leaned down to pick up his dropped dagger and walked back to the edge of the circle, not giving Lazuli his back. It would be too easy for his brother to throw his dagger at him. He was glad when one of the nurses from the healing center reached for his left arm and pulled him off the fighting ring with a decisive pull.

She studied his arm for a minute, then looked up at him with a puzzled gaze.

“Your cut is shallow,” she said, already cleaning the welling blood. She applied crushed herbs to the wound using a small wooden spatula from the kit she carried. Covering the cut thoroughly with the crushed herbs, she met Tarron’s gaze with a small frown.

“Lord Leodi, I don’t understand. You could have won the match.”

Tarron met her gaze and smiled wide with pride.

“I did win.”

The nurse stared at him as though he were crazy, but Tarron did not elaborate further. His gaze shifted to the adjutant in charge of the competition. He had come down to stand on the fight circle now that combat matches had ended. He was now reading the results of the competition day.

“And, the winner of this year’s qualifying competition is young Lord Lazuli Kontar. He now becomes our esteemed commandant’s assistant as Castle Kontar’s Marshall. He shall be stationed at Castle Kontar.”

“Young Lord Tarron Leodi came in second. He shall be the Adjutant Officer of the Borders. He shall be in charge of a fifty-man troop and will guard and police Eseran’s southwest border with Hodari. The Border Adjutant shall report to Castle Kontar with frequency and forward any new developments as needed.”

“Young Master Jaxxan Ahn comes in third. He becomes a first lieutenant working with Border Adjutant, Lord Leodi. The convoy heading to the border will leave in the morning. As for everyone else on the ranking competition list, find your posting on the class boards. Fulfill your new duties to the best of your ability. May Eseran prosper!”

“Eseran shall prosper,” everyone in the auditorium repeated, making it a loud chorus.

Tarron thanked the nurse for helping him with his wound and turned to leave the competition rink. Jaxxan caught up with him in the locker rooms.

“Hey,” Jaxxan said, gripping Tarron’s right shoulder. “It annoys him that you let him win. All those openings he gave you at the end. I’m salty thinking about it. Why the hell are you letting yourself get booted to the outskirts?”

“Not here,” Tarron said, glancing around the locker room as though someone could hear them. He collected his leather bag from his locker, closed it, and left the key on the locker door. He would not need it anymore.

Tarron led the way out of the locker room as Lazuli came in followed by his cronies. They all looked too excited about Lazuli’s new station as Castle Kontar’s Marshall. No doubt the group of friends hoped they would get to be assigned here at Castle Kontar, working under Lord Jesah, the Commandant.

Tarron ignored them when they booed at him as he passed.

Jax cursed at them as they left the locker room and got his share of jeers.

Tarron and Jaxxan did not talk until they were crossing the huge practice field behind the institute’s main building.

***

Chapter One | Table of Contents | Chapter Three