Chapter 3: Forced Recruitment

“Ah, he’s waking up.” A pause. “Heilig! He’s waking up!” 
“Coming, coming.” As he was joining Aurora, he grabbed some food from a bag and some water. 
“What the… are you all insane? Why am I tied to a tree?” 
“I thought it would be easier to talk if you wouldn’t thrash around. But let’s start again from the start. Hi, I’m Aurora, the star from the North. And the weirdo here is Heilig.” 
“I know that. You’ve been introducing yourself every time you knocked at my door for the past weeks. And I told you, I don’t care about that prophe—”
Before he had time to finish, he could feel a cold sting against his throat. Aurora had drawn her long sword in a swift movement. He silently threw a dark glare at her. 

“You will refrain from talking until I ask you something. Is that clear?” 
Heilig was in shock. He gasped for air as he released his breath. “Aurora, you can’t—” “Shut it, Heilig. I’m done being nice.” 
“But…” 
She ignored him and turned back to Lumen, applying just a little more pressure on her sword. 
“I said, is that clear?” 
“Y—yes.” 

The cold vanished as a droplet trickled down to his collar. 
“Good.” She removed her blade from his throat, but didn’t sheathe it. “As I was saying, Aurora, Heilig, and the shy one back there is Morgan.” 
She turned her head. “By the way, thanks for earlier. We should have done that days ago.” 
What Lumen thought was a pile of clothes with a hat on top warbled, trying to appear even smaller. 

“You have no idea wh—” The sword moved, cutting his sentence. 
“Listen here, you brat. I don’t care what you think. I don’t care about your opinion. We have a duty, we’ve been chosen by the prophecy, and you’ll come with us for the ritual.” 
“But—” 
A glare. 
“If you refuse, I’ll get Morgan’s staff, and we’ll drag you all the way there. We only need you for the ritual. Heilig, you confirm that we can do it with him tied up in the correct place?” 
“Ah? Errrr… yes, I suppose?” 
“Perfect. See, we don’t need your cooperation. We just need you to be there. And I won’t be babysitting a thick-headed child.” 
She paused. Lumen didn’t dare say anything. Heilig was still in shock. And the clothes pile that was Morgan wasn’t moving.

As the silence stretched, he took a chance at observing them. Aurora was towering over him, her impressive full-body plate armor shining in the sun, polished to perfection. It was hard to estimate her height while sitting down under the tree, but she was clearly taller than both her comrades.
She was still holding her sword. A long sword. Simple, with the most basic cross guard you would expect. It wasn’t a parade artifact like her armor. It was a killing tool. And it was well-maintained. Only a few chips along the edge attested to its violent past.

Lumen gulped, reminiscing the cold feeling against his throat. Not wanting to dwell on it, he ported his attention to Heilig. His simple outfit—one or two sizes too big for his small frame—was covering up his small movements. A large cowl, barely held up by a loose rope around the waist, and a long cloak hanging on his back.
He didn’t have any apparent weapons. Apparent. He had a reputation. Like all of them. They were the heroes of the prophecy after all. And Lumen knew not to underestimate someone.

Finally, Morgan. She was the one he saw from up close when she blasted his door. Barely taller than him, she was wearing a long dress with an intricate lace design tucked under her cleavage, giving quite the view of her natural blessings. Right now, though, rolled up in a ball, trying to disappear in her clothes, she wasn’t impressive at all. 
A hat was hiding most of her face at all times, and was rocking back and forth. Without any gust of wind, Lumen guessed she was the one making it move like that. Her staff was lying on the ground near her. Too far for him to even think of grabbing it. And a piece of wood wouldn’t be of much help against Aurora’s blade. 

He finished by taking a look at their camp. Simple, efficient, with four tents already up. Darting a dark gaze towards Aurora, he was about to break the silence, but the sting was still there, and he swallowed back his words. 
There was no point trying to convince them. At least for now.

“Fine, I’ll come with you.” But I won’t make it easy.
He had no chance of reasoning with Aurora, but maybe Heilig and Morgan could listen. Then the three of them could take her down before they would finish the ritual.
“Good.” Aurora sheathed her sword, turned back, and went to sit near the fire, tossing a log in to keep it going.
Heilig’s sight followed her, then came back to Lumen. It was obvious he wasn’t used to being ordered around, but didn’t want to get on her bad side. 
“Are you really going to leave me tied to this tree? I said I agree to come with you. You could at least let me get some food and warmth, right?”
Aurora ignored him. Morgan’s pile of clothes barely moved. Heilig’s eyes were now going back and forth between Lumen and the fire.

“Hey… Heilig, right?” Lumen got his attention. “Would you mind getting me out of those ropes? I’m not sitting comfortably.”
“Don’t.” Aurora didn’t even look at them. “He freed himself already. He’s testing your loyalty. Don’t forget how tight that rope was…”
The barely veiled threat wasn’t necessary. Heilig was already on his way to the fire.
With a sigh, Lumen released the end of the rope he had been holding. It fell around him, and he got up, taking a few steps away from the camp.
“And don’t think of sneaking out. I’ll find you.”
“May I request the privilege to go relieve myself, your highness?” He used the most caustic tone he could, but didn’t wait for an answer. Taking a few steps under the trees and outside of the fire’s light, he took a deep breath. He was in for a world of pain this time.

After a few minutes, he came back to the camp. Aurora was still tending to the fire, Heilig was sulking on a nearby log, and the pile of clothes didn’t move.
He crouched near the latter, trying to discern a trace of someone underneath. The large brim hat was hiding her head perfectly, and she had retreated inside her robes like a turtle. Her staff was still on the ground. He thought for a second to take it, but that would make her mad. And it was the last thing he needed right now.
“Hey.”
No answers from the pile of clothes.
“You know… I don’t hate you. I’m sorry I upset you and got you in such a rage.” He was only half-lying. He had no reason to hate any of them. They didn’t know. They couldn’t know. They didn’t want to know.
But he would have to tell them, somehow. And it wouldn’t be easy.
“How about we get to greet each other right this time? You’re strong. You don’t need to hide from me.”
The pile of clothes did a rotation on itself to face the other way.
With a sigh, Lumen continued his monologue. “I know your reputation. You’re the quiet one, but you’re rumored to be the strongest among the heroes of the prophecy.” A pause for effect. “And I believe it. I reinforced that door in case you would try to break it down. And you blew through it like it was nothing.”
The hat tipped slightly backward before leaning on one side.
“Do you think you could teach me some of your magic? I don’t have any natural abilities, but I think with such a genius teacher, even I could cast a small spell. And if it doesn’t work, I still want to understand the theory.”
The pile of fabric turned around slowly. The hat was now facing lumen. A tiny hand got out of the robe, grabbed the staff, and slowly lifted it up.
“Morgan, right? I’m Lumen, nice to meet y—”
Before he had time to finish, a gust of wind sent him flying back against a tree, knocking him out on impact.
“Looser…” A small voice said from under the hat.
Aurora sighed.