Ch4 - First Blood

Red is the strongest of colors. For it is the color of blood.

A ball of fire exploded in all directions.

Children jumped out of the way.

A loud speaker sounded,

"Come now, surely you've all improved at dodge ball enough to win."

The children were perhaps twelve years old.

All various species, some taller and beginning to gain various demonic traits.

Others still appearing completely human.

This game had been so much easier, when they were dodging normal balls.

Now, they dodged fire balls, electric balls, acid balls.

It was rather random.

A ball shot out, "GOO!" a child shouted.

The children all scattered.

A large glob of sticky goo hit the wall.

The walls on the sides were closing in.

Limiting their ability to avoid attacks.

Darting to the left side of the arena was the purple neko boy.

He was taller, though not by much.

Still the shortest in his class.

His hair was longer than before.

Also, his before rather innocent look was beginning to turn cold.

He jumped and rolled, avoiding a blast of ice.

He then charged the firing gun furthest left.

There were five guns in total.

His classmates cheered as he managed to form a sword and slice the gun in two.

It sparked in protest, but he grabbed the metal shell.

He used it to defend against a sudden fire ball from the next gun.

On the right, another student grabbed the farthest right gun.

They grabbed it, and pushed until it blasted the next right gun.

Three other students charged the gun with the first.

The device began spitting fire and acid at once.

One student was hit by the fire and went down.

The others pushed the gun up, causing it blast the ceiling.

They then ran, grabbing the injured child as the roof collapsed crushing the gun.

The purple neko moved close and closer with his make-shift shield.

He looked to the rest of his class.

He gave a circular hand gesture, then pointed to the middle gun.

Suddenly the entire class charged at it.

Dodging various blasts, as they charged.

A larger boy, who physically seemed perhaps 16.

They were all only 12 , but demons physically grew at different rates.

The larger boy, grabbed a small girl and tossed her.

She let herself fly.

She was barely feet from the gun, when the gun fired at her.

She summoned a shimmering shield.

Suddenly the blast reflected and destroyed the gun.

The girl then collapsed exhausted, but was quickly supported by two others.

The entire class was then focused on the last gun.

The gun began firing rapidly, with everything it could.

The neko charged, with his shield.

The gun focused on him again.

Then the entire class began tearing into the gun.

They managed to rip a panel off, and a child reached his hand inside.

The gun fired more, blasting students whom were to close to dodge.

Suddenly it stopped, the child pulled out a diamond.

The class cheered, they had won.

The door opened, behind the guns.

Standing there was their teacher.

He hadn't seemed to age a day.

That wasn't uncommon, most demons were long lived, and didn't seem to age for years.

Nekos tended to have a life expectancy of nearly a thousand years.

Most nekos reached the age of physical perfection, and simply stayed that way until they were 500yrs old.

"Very good.

I had wondered what all that planning was last night."

He then turned and walked out.

The children all followed.

He spoke as he walked.

"I have decided that you've all been doing extremely well.

As such, I believe many of you are ready for your main exam."

The children cheered.

Suddenly the teacher stopped and looked to them.

They were silent, and stared intently.

He smirked.

"Disappear." he said calmly.

Suddenly most vanished.

Others had moved and were hidden.

In barely the blink of an eye, only the neko stood in front of the teacher.

The two stared each other down.

Another teacher walked down the hall.

The female teacher paused, and looked to the two of them.

"Having a telepathic debate?" she joked.

The teacher looked to her, and spoke

"Are they doing a good job hiding?"

"He's standing right in front of you...

So... No. Not a very good hiding job."

The neko smirked, and the teacher rolled his eyes.

"Find you win." the male said, and walked away.

The female teacher looked confused.

"Wha-?"

The neko then snapped his fingers, and suddenly all the children reappeared.

They were standing in a orderly fashion.

The woman gave a startled gasp, and watched as they followed their teacher again.

They arrived to the dining hall.

It was deserted, it was after dinner time.

The teacher spoke, "Go on."

The students then ran down the dining hall, and into the kitchen.

The neko just stood next to the teacher.

"Have you ever been told you're stubborn?" the teacher asked.

The neko looked to him, with a quizzical expression.

The teacher sighed, "I have to hand it to you.

Once you put your mind to something, you find a way to do it.

A good trait for an assassin...
But also a bad one.

Sometimes you have to know when you can't win."

The students came back to the tables, with various sweets.

They hadn't been allowed sweets except for rare holidays.

Even then it was strictly controlled.

The teacher sighed and shook his head.

"You're all gonna get me in trouble." he said, with a sigh.

"Alright, I'm off. Make sure everyone gets to bed.

I think I'm gonna see about having your main exam first.

I wanna see how they survive without you."

The teacher then left, and the neko watched him, before looking back to his class mates.

A couple days later, the neko was standing next to a door.

Next to him was his teacher.

Another duel.

They had been doing these more and more often once they had began their third year.

They got to watch a couple, their 2nd year.

But once they reached their third year the previous year's combat practice had to be put to proper use.

The duels were always set up between the 3rd and 4th years.

Once you passed your main exam you no longer participated.

Many passed the exam their 3rd year, but others needed more time.

The teacher patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright, now.

None of that blood rage.

I know it has it's benefits, but your greatest gift has been your quick thinking.

And when you're in that rage...

Well, you stop thinking.

So, you must stay in control."

The neko nodded.

Last year, he had gone into a blood rage.

He ended up destroying an entire gaming arena.

After that his class mates went from simply respecting him... to fearing him slightly.

The teacher stepped back, "Good luck."

The door slid open, he could already hear the crowd cheering.

The roar of the crowd was deafening.

Older students were encouraged to come cheer the duelists.

Occasionally 'guests' would come to observe the fights.

One had to be able to block out all distractions, especially that of a crowd.

 The neko walked thru the door.

Across from him was another boy, perhaps his same age.

The other boy had extravagant ears, and blue markings on his face.

He felt curious what type of demon the other boy was.

A voice announced 'READY!"

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Get ready, or lose.

Both took combat stances.

"BEGIN!"

Suddenly they both attacked.

It seemed rather evenly matched.

That was rather the point of these fights.

Fighting someone who you could easily best was pointless.

The crowd continued it's deafening roar.

Finally the neko managed to hit the boy in the chest.

He used the blow to abruptly jolt all the boy's muscles.

The demon boy quickly collapsed.

The crowd seemed to go mad.

The neko's own heart was thumping wildly.

Combat was quick paced, and it was always exciting.

The neko looked to the demon boy, he'd won.

He glanced to the door.

It didn't open though.

He looked up.

The other boy was holding his chest.

He wasn't going to get back up.

The neko looked back to him.

The speaker then sounded loudly.

"Put him to the sword."

The neko looked up, as the crowd shouted more.

To the sword, a phrase meaning to kill.

They used the phrase often in survival training.

Each animal they had to kill....

Each time, the teacher would say to put them to the sword.

The neko formed a small blood dagger.

A skill he'd been practicing, after he'd gotten hurt months back.

Yet he felt himself hesitate.

"Now." the voice commanded.

Suddenly he moved and began stabbing the other boy in the gut.

The boy had tried to stop him.

Yet after a moment the boy was limp.

The neko stood up, and stared at the boy.

The crowd was so loud the neko's ears rang.

He looked at his hands, they were soaked with blood.

There was blood all over his clothes as well.

His little dagger dissipated.

He was shook from behind.

He looked, it was his teacher.

His teacher said something, but he didn't hear it.

He felt like he couldn't hear anything except the ringing.

He looked back to the other boy, as two men came in.

They simply picked up the boy's body and carried it out.

The neko was pulled along, by his teacher.

The doors closed behind them.

His teacher shook him again.

Yet the neko was simply in shock.

The teacher got up, and grabbed a bucket.

He dumped the icy contents on the neko.

Who looked to him as the blood began to rinse away.

"Are you listening?"

The neko nodded, as he shivered.

"Good, that was your exam.

And you've passed.

While the rest of the class is at dinner, you will collect your things.

I will then take you to your new quarters."

The neko stared at him rather blankly.

"Do you understand?" he asked.

The neko nodded.

"Good, then come along."

His teacher began leaving, and the neko followed.

They reached the class room, "Go on.

You can wash up at your new quarters.

Pack up, quickly."

the neko nodded and went inside

It was quiet, yet he felt like his ears were still ringing.

He went to his bed, and opened his chest.

It was spotlessly organized, as all were.

He pulled out his bag, and simply put his things inside.

He went over to his cabinet.

His clothes perfectly folded, or hanging neatly.

He grabbed a large bag and put it all inside.

He then grabbed his two extra shoes.

The whole time he felt rather numb.

His mind wouldn't think.

Wouldn't process.

He dragged his bags out, and standing in the hall was his teacher.

"Got everything?"

He nodded

"Good, let's go."

His teacher walked, and he followed.

They exited the area that had been his life for nearly three years.

They entered the middle corridor.

It was long, and rather dark.

Finally his teacher knocked on a door, before opening it.

They both went inside.

It was simply a hall of beds.

They walked down, and his teacher spoke.

"These are one of the male quarters.

Slowly your former classmates will join you here.

Though perhaps not all."

The neko stared at him.

He then stopped, at a bed.

His teacher picked a clipboard off the end of the bed, and examined it.

"This will be your bed."

He handed the neko the clipboard.

"Follow the instructions to aquire new sheets, set up your locker and chest.

It should also have your class schedule.
It's simply classes I thought would benefit you.

Next semester you can decide which classes you wish to take."

The neko stared at the clipboard.

His teacher then moved as if to leave.

Yet he paused, and knelt in front of the neko.

"I know you're a bit in shock still.

But just remember.

I wouldn't have put you in for your exam if you weren't ready to handle it emotionally."

He stood up and pat the neko on the head, before walking to leave.

"Good luck, Damiaan."