Chapter 6

 

Chapter 6:

Finished with talking to Sousan Ivan heads down the palace corridor, looking outsides the windows to the rain as it falls. Ivan solemnly turns back to the corridor heading to Dervish’s quarters. He was concerned about Dervish; he could tell that he was hurting inside. Still what Sousan said got him thinking, what if Dervish does lose control over his power? He could be a threat to everyone. Then again…why am I over reacting? He’s my age, he still has years ahead of him to control it.
  As he walks down the dim lit corridor he notices Dervish through the window outside on the balcony, content with the falling rain. Seeing Dervish Ivan hastily quickens his pace down the corridor reaching the balcony, pulling the glass door open approaching Dervish’s side the sound of rain in the night.
 
“Dervish what are you doing out here? You’re going to get a cold”, Ivan uneasily states. Dervish turns his head to the side, his face filled with little emotion. “What are you doing here?” Dervish questions ignorant of the rain trickling down his face. “I’ve come to apologise Dervish”, Ivan explains, “It’s my fault. I should have listened to you… we should have just stayed in our rooms”. Dervish thinks to himself looking out into the rain, “It’s alright Ivan”, Dervish utters, “I know how you feel being kept hidden, away from the outside world…I know he wants to protect us but we will lead hell one day”. Dervish looks to Ivan smiling the rain falling behind him, “one day the outside world will see us, and they will smile at our faces”. Ivan looks in surprise before chuckling to himself, “Yer you’re right, for now…someday we will have our own men, our own soldiers. We can finally be us!”. Dervish laughs to himself before quickly falling silent.

  Ivan looks in concern at Dervish who has fallen silent. “Hey what’s wrong?” Ivan questions, as Dervish remains silent. “Do you think father will help me?.. With my power”, he asks glancing at Ivan for support. “Sure…he’ll help you. I don’t see why not”, Ivan replies unconvincingly looking back.
  Dervish attempts to smile but takes notice of Ivan’s tone. “He’s afraid of me…isn’t he? I can tell by your expression”, he utters faintly. “He’s just…afraid not of you, but your power, Ivan responds comfortably. Dervish raises his face up smiling in response. “Maybe if I can control this, then he may not fear me”, smiling to himself, “I’ll make sure I control my power and I will find a way for father to love me”. Ivan laughs to himself patting Dervish on the back. “That’s the spirit! Now let’s head back inside cause it’s getting cold out here”. Dervish smiles to himself as both leave the balcony as the rain continues to fall on the cold, dark night.

At the sign of a new day the sun rises from the west of hell, , the light shinning down on the alleys and paved streets. Outside stall owners prepare for another market day, bringing in new food, goods from the traders hoping to make some profit. In the Royal Palace the Palace corridors are once more active with soldiers and robed men alike getting on their duty jobs. Sousan himself is up looking at his reflection, paying notice to the aging of his face.
  In Matius’s dormitory Matius remains asleep peaceful with the rays of sunlight flooding the room. His sleep is rudely interrupted however as a hand starts shaking him. Matius’s face flinches in irritation, much to the stranger’s annoyance. “Matius...come on man we need to go!” Matius stretches his arms yawning loudly to himself, opening his eyes to the stranger. “Cain…is that you? What’s the time?”, he questions rubbing his eyes. “Matius it’s 7.45”, Cain replies hastily, “We’ve got our first lesson at 8.00!!”. In annoyance Matius lifts himself out of the bed, immediately going to his wardrobe of clothes.

Dressed they both hurry downstairs hastily Matius doing the buttons on his shirt up. They pass several older students walking to their lessons with some older men, clad in armour walking.  “Why did no one wake me up?”, Matius moans in annoyance. “I don’t know”, Cain replies in question. I guess no one wanted to wake you?” They continue walking until they reach another corridor, with a view of outside.“It should be here!”, Cain replies looking at his timetable approaching a doorway leading outside. Matius glances through the window seeing several students with a soldier with tables on display. As they both walk into the class everyone looks at them including the teacher. “Sorry we’re late”, Matius utters breathless alongside Cain. “Ahha don’t worry about it. It’s your first day so no worries”, the soldier replies, “now if you could please sit down”. Matius makes his way past several of the students sitting down before finding a place.
“Now that everyone’s here I can continue… Now the most important thing about working in the forces is weapons. They can save your life, your comrades lifes. Most importantly they should resemble you”.
      The teacher removes the cloths from the table revealing different set of weapons on the large tables. “You must understand a weapon”, the teacher states, “ How it works, how it feels, and how to use it in the right fashion. These are the key attributes in becoming a weapons master”, in demonstration he picks up a sword from one of the cases lifting it up for all the students to see. Swinging the sword around as he does. “okay now can anyone tell me what this weapon is called?”, the soldier questions looking to the class. Many of the students sitting down talk to themselves, muttering. Realising none of them know he runs his finger down the blade. “This is called a barbed piranha. A curved sword best used for close quarters. Notice the barbed teeth along the blade, they are used for hacking an opponent, causing greater damage than a normal sword. They are also good for cutting through terrain, able to easily rip open through tough armour or wood”. Showing it’s lethalness he attacks a post with it before pulling back ripping strings of wood from the post , several of the students watching nervousness.
  While the teacher is demonstrating another weapon a student taps Matius on the shoulder. Matius turns around seeing a young boy looking at him. “Hey I’m Jovian, what’s yours?”, he questions as the teacher moves another sword around fighting an invisible enemy. “Matius”, Matius replies slightly irritated trying

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

join up?”, the boy asks wearing robes with the exception of a large tooth necklace watching Matius. “I joined because I wanted to fight, like my father did” Matius replies focusing on the teacher’s demonstration. “Your father?” the boy asks intrigued, “what did he do?” Matius gives a sigh, ignoring him. “I joined up because my family have always been part of the army”, the boy adds,  “I wanted to join up to make them feel proud… That’s right I didn’t tell you my name, the name’s Jovian”. The teacher overhears their conversation in irritation. “Lads! Plenty of talking when the demonstration is over!”, he demands, “You need to be listening to this!” With the soldier back to demonstration one of the girls joins into the conversation turning around. “My dad died in the forces, “she states, “He was killed on duty in the wildlands, by a mauler…I think that’s what they are called?” One of the students suddenly turns around, “I’ve heard of them! They are predators, in the wildlands” He lifts his necklace showing off the tooth, “this is one of their teeth, a gift from my granddad. He soon retired from the forces to go into the trading business”.
   Matius annoyed turns away to listen to the teacher. “They won’t make it out of the academy…”, a voice states. Matius turns to his left seeing a older boy watching the teacher glancing at Matius. “This is important stuff they’re not listening to”, the boy states watching the teacher in demonstration, “but it seems you’re not like them“. Matius glances giving a nod, “How do you know all this?”, he questions. He seemed more knowledgeable than Matius. “This is my second time at the academy”, the older boy questions, “I was like them once. Childish thinking getting through the academy would be easy, tsk was I wrong”. Matius glances over to the older boy, “what happened?”. The older boy watching the teacher glances at Matius, “I didn’t do enough work, didn’t take it seriously. When it came to the tests I failed badly…My name’s Cain by the way”. Finished talking Cain looks back to the teacher, watching as he demonstrates with another weapon swinging an axe. “…you will find either an axe with one blade or double bladed. Just remember that every weapon has a weakness”, the teacher explains.

Finished the teacher places the axe back into it’s case looking to the students. “Okay now that I have shown you how these weapons work. I will be passing down wood replicates of each weapon to find out where all your strengths lies. You will all be paired up to determine your skills and for us to grade you. If you are concerned about getting hurt, don’t worry I will be also handing out armour for protection…Now if all of you could get into a line”. Everyone stands up as they go into a line, Matius standing beside Cain as students ahead of them talk in conversation. “Did your father ever teach you how to use a weapon?”, Cain questions, “because if not this is going to be your first time”. Matius turns smiling in satisfaction, “yes we did sword training”. Cain appeased smiles, “that’s good to know, cause you’re going to need it”.
   Up ahead the teacher has started handing out weapons to the students as each looks at their own weapon, already using the moves the teacher used. Cain receives a claymore wooden replicate while Matius receives a broadsword wooden replicate. Matius looks at it with interest, moving it around in his hand, it felt much lighter than Osaris’s sword which he held once. He smiles in relief as the teacher announces something.  “Okay now that you have received your weapons, these are the rules. There will be a line drawn between the two of you; whoever pushes their opponent back wins. Whoever manages to get five hits wins, a shot to the head is a win. If you steal your opponent’s weapon, you’re disqualified… This session will determine your starting grade level, the more wins you get the higher your weapon grade will be. Now I know some people here will already have experience from handling weapons from relatives in the forces. Those individuals will go against one another so everything’s fair”.

   The teacher then unveils a jar filled with scrupled up pieces of paper no doubt with the student’s names. “Okay…Damien please step forward”, the teacher asks. From the line a boy steps forwards holding a double bladed axe wooden replicate. The teacher then goes into the jar again revealing another name, “okay now if Stephanie. Please could you come forward?”. Again another student steps forward this time holding a dagger wooden replicate, holding it with one hand. “Stephanie’s got this”, Cain states to Matius as the pair get ready to duel. “How can you tell?”, Matius questions watching as Damien holds the axe with two hands readying himself. “Damien’s already struggling to use that axe”, Cain explains, “it’s too big for him. On the other hand Stephanie has a small quick weapon…watch and you’ll see”. Matius’s attention is suddenly drawn as the duel begins.
   Damien charges in raising the wooden replicate axe, just as he’s about to bring it down Stephanie quickly dodges to the right. Seeing his left open Stephanie moves in carefully before tapping the dagger replicate against Damien’s armour, signalling a hit. Damien quickly swings the axe to the left in retaliation only for Stephanie to back away, as he hits nothing but air. Seizing her chance she quickens her pace, pointing the dagger at Damien’s head. The teacher raises his arm, “Stephanie wins”, he states as the students applaud. Stephanie gives a smile before joining the students talking to her friends.  “Speed will always win against strength”, Cain mentions, “the bigger the weapon the slower they will be. “Alright next pair”, the teacher states going into a new jar of names. “Okay now could Sif and Jenifer please step forward”, the teacher asks. Two more students step forwards more confidently than the other pair.
   “This should be good”, Cain states in excitement crossing his arms. “How do you know?”, Matius questions turning to him. “The name’s pulled out of that jar have had some experience with weapons”, Cain replies, “both of their parents serve in the army, one of them in the elite guard”. Matius watches as both square up to one another bowing respectfully, showing how a duel should begin.

“Begin”

Both suddenly get into defensive positions, one of them wielding a large great sword with two hands the other wielding a katana. “Surely the katana wins this?”, Matius questions seeing it’s small size. “I wouldn’t count on it”, Cain replies, “Speed means nothing if someone knows how to use a weapon like that”. Jenifer with the katana dodges one of Sif’s attacks as the great sword hits the ground. Sif suddenly twists his hands, raising the great sword up in a quick surprise attack. The wooden blade narrowly missing her forehead, Matius watches on in surprise. With his back open Jenifer quickly aim’s the blade at Sif’s head. Sensing trouble Sif leans forwards as the katana hits his back instead, saving him from a defeat.
   Sif rolls forwards, turning to face Jenifer once more, changing his hold. Jenifer decides to hold the katana with one hand, and she taunts him. Both charge at each other as their wooden weapons clash, Sif seemingly having the advantage. Everyone watches on, unsure who will win. To everyone’s surprise the wooden katana breaks, as Jenifer can only watch in dismay. The teacher raises his arm, “Sif wins”, he states as everyone bursts into applause. “Another thing about strength weapons”, Cain adds, “is that they are great at resisting pressure. The katana might be small and nimble, but it’s not the most durable of weapons”. Matius listens In interest looking at his own weapon, wondering if it can take pressure.