Aldric took the architect's words and rested with them. He went back to the botanical dorm and lay on the floor beside Harden's bed. He stared up at the ceiling. Peyter would come in every so often to reapply the herb past on his wounds.
Aldric had noticed the bruises lightening more with every application. He hoped that his friend would make a fast recovery, but worried he might not. Then he thought back to the architect's words in the library. Somehow, he had to attack from the inside.
He didn't know how to do that. He knew that he had to figure something out, but he didn't think he'd have many options with the skills he'd acquired. His brain throbbed as his thoughts raced back and forth. A vein bulged on the brow of his forehead, and his jaw clenched firmly.
"You're a very loud stresser, did you know that?" Peyter asked, coming in for yet another application.
"Yeah, well, your cream there sounds very moist and gross," Aldric said, closing his eyes and locking his fingers behind his head.
"At least my noise is productive. Yours is just damaging your teeth," Peyter quipped, rubbing a line of cream along Harden's ribs. Aldric loosened his clenched jaw and opened his eyes.
"Why're you helping him?" Aldric asked, gazing up at the blonde boy. Peyter smirked softly before closing the jar of paste he had been holding.
"Any decent person would, plus it does happen to fall in line with my current studies. So think of it as a mutually beneficial exchange," he insisted. Aldric sat with that notion as Peyter left the chamber and closed them in again.
He wasn't sure when it happened, but eventually Aldric fell asleep.
The night came and went quickly before he was awoken by a soft, melodic flute whistle. His eyes peeled open, breaking through their evening crust. It had taken him a moment to fully remember where he'd been, then he saw Harden.
He'd sat up in bed, and his eyes, though still swollen, were open.
"Morning," Aldric said, stretching largely.
"Morning," Harden said, softly and distantly. Aldric adjusted himself in his makeshift bed and gazed up at his friend.
"How are you feeling?" He muttered, brushing his hair out of his face with a hand.
"Sore mostly, slightly embarrassed," Harden admitted.
"Why would you be embarrassed? You're the one who was outnumbered and picked on. If anybody should be embarassed it's the lot of them," he said, gesturing toward the door.
"Yeah, well, none of them ended up unconscious in another dorm for an entire night," Harden said, rolling his eyes.
"That doesn't matter. I'm sure plenty of them feel how dishonorable it was to do that to you. I'm sure they're plenty embarrassed, and we'll know exactly who at breakfast," Aldric said with a large smile.
"Breakfast? I'm not going to the perch. We don't have a table or anything, we'd be the center of attention for eating off the floor," Harden said, turning away from Aldric.
"We have to go to the perch. If you don't show your face, it'll be seen as weakness to the ravens. They'll see you as inferior. Come with me and prove the opposite. Just because they beat you down, doesn't mean they have to win," Aldric sat beside him in the bed.
"Being strong enough to face them after what they did to you is a larger accomplishment than any of them will ever have. You don't deserve to be laughed at, so let's go and show them there's nothing to laugh at," he finished.
Harden looked at him and then the window before nodding his head softly. Aldric smiled and patted Harden's knee excitedly.
"Let's do this," he said, standing up and heading for the door. The wren's dorm was as quiet as ever as he pushed the door open. Loud scribbles rang out as some of the boys finished their studies. Soft tinkling sounds echoed as metal spoons mixed potions in glass vials.
Aldric stood determinedly as Harden slinked out of bed and inched his way beside him.
"Ah, good morning," Peyter said, extending a warm, inviting hand and pulling Harden in for a hug.
"I'm very pleased to know you will make a full recovery," he said, pulling away and patting Harden's shoulder twice.
"M-me too, thank you," Harden said, momentarily taken aback. Peyter smiled and bowed before turning to Aldric.
"Make sure your friend takes it easy for a few days," he said. Aldric nodded, and Peyter was off. Aldric and Harden pushed through the group of wrens, all hard at work, and pressed toward the door. Then, the room spun around swiftly, and all of the wrens rose to their feet.
In a single file line, the wrens trickled out into the corridor, filtering the banished ravens out in the horde. Harden and Aldric couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the surrounding sea of boys. Though they knew each flock was significantly larger than their own, seeing it firsthand showed them the true scale.
They felt themselves get bumped and nudged from all directions as they both tried their best to break away from the swarm. They waded through the boys and pushed through the rapidly moving group. Then, before too long, Aldric pushed through to the corridor and pulled Harden out.
They caught their breath as the wrens continued toward the perch.
"Imagine that, every morning," Aldric huffed, his eyes bulging at Harden.
"I'd sooner cut off my own foot," He said coldly. It was quiet for a moment, and then they burst out laughing. It seemed downright absurd to shelter that many people in one dorm. Harden especially had a hard time fathoming the number of wrens there were. He didn't even want to think about the falcons on top of it.
"Should we go back to your room for practice then?" Harden asked, grabbing his bruised ribs.
"No. I think it's time we enjoyed a full meal," Aldric insisted. Harden gazed at Aldric and sighed deeply.
"Aldric, please, we can get the crew to sneak us some food later. Why do we have to go to the perch?" Harden protested weakly.
"It's important that we show everyone we're strong, even now. If we cower in the dorm, then we've already lost," Aldric said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Trust me," he added. Harden nodded hesitantly, and the pair made their way to the perch. They walked silently through the revolving chambers and navigated its winding corridors. Each of them wore a look of determination and anxiety. Neither of them knew what to expect, but they knew it wasn't going to be uneventful.
The perch seems different to both of them as they passed under the archway. Ravens' eyes darted in their direction, and the landing went silent. Aldric smiled while hesitating momentarily. He nodded and stepped onto the perch.
Harden trailed behind him slowly, but his head held high. They brushed past the arena, patting Peyter on the back as they did. They walked beside the falcon's table and high-fived Grum. Then, they made it to the Ravens' table. Aldric halted in his stride and stared ahead briefly before cocking his head at Jasper.
"Hear you pack a punch," he said, gazing him up and down.
"What, you trying to find out first hand?" He scoffed, laughing with his friends.
"No, just stating a fact that's all," Aldric turned and faced the table.
"I do have a question, though," he began, kneeling beside the table and gazing up at Jasper and Rhys.
"That broken leg hurt?" He asked, focusing on Rhys, who was avoiding his gaze entirely.
"Would you like to find out?" He focused again on Jasper. He swiftly drew his crafters rune on the table with his finger and smiled. Jasper scrunched his nose and balled his fists.
"You're nothing, Al, always have been. Without us, what are you?" He mocked.
"Better in almost every way," he said, activating the rune and standing. He turned and continued past the table. Harden followed quickly as the rune puffed and popped. The table grew two appendages that shot out and wrapped around Jasper's head.
He gasped and let out a frail shriek as the limbs slammed his face to the table and pinned him there. The other ravens launched up and frantically tried peeling his head from the table as Aldric halted at an empty corner of the perch.
He reached into his pocket and pulled his broken chalk out. Again, he drew his crafters run, this time much larger on the floor. The falcons began to take notice of him, as did the wrens. The landing went almost silent as Aldric focused and activated his rune. It glowed and rippled along the stone floor.
Everyone waited hesitantly as the floor erupted. A large stone structure sprouted, its color a gray and soot black. The top was smooth with a marbled pattern that slowly snapped together like a deconstructed puzzle.
In the center, a silver badge with a large bird with its wings extended. Its tail looked like a long ribbon that coiled toward the tip. Aldric took a moment as he felt his energy regenerate. He stood back on his feet and climbed onto the table.
"You ask me what I am," he began, gazing over the room. The ravens still stood ripping at the table to free Jasper. Aldric stomped his foot, and just like that, Jasper flung onto his back and gasped for air. He gazed up at Aldric, his eyes riddled with fear rather than anger.
"Without the ravens, without a flock, I am more. I am the ash of what remains, I am the rising star, I am the phoenix," another burst of light from his cloak revealed the same silver badge that was etched into the table, on his chest. With that final remark, and one last cold glance at Jasper, Aldric dropped from his podium and sat at his lonesome table, joined only by Harden.